Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the decision of the UN World Food Programme to pause deliveries of food aid to northern Gaza.

We are greatly concerned by the pause in aid distributions by the UN World Food Programme in Northern Gaza, and by the difficulties that are hindering relief delivery efforts. We have reiterated the need for Israel to support the UN to distribute aid effectively across the whole of Gaza. As we have said, Israel must take steps, working with other partners including the UN and Egypt, to significantly increase the flow of aid into Gaza, including allowing prolonged humanitarian pauses, opening more routes into Gaza and restoring and sustaining water, fuel and electricity. The Prime Minister discussed this in his call with Prime Minister Netanyahu on 15 February.