Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, for what the reasons the UK Emergency Medical Team was not deployed to Gaza following the deaths and gunshot injuries to civilian demonstrators in April and May 2018.

The UK Emergency Medical Team recently deployed to Bangladesh following the diphtheria outbreak in December 2017. DFID also has the option to deploy Team personnel only to work in existing national health facilities and did so to Nepal in 2015, Gaza in 2014 and the Philippines in 2013.

Taking into account lessons learned from previous deployments, including safety concerns for deploying UK nationals and problems with access and permits, the current Emergency Medical Team is not designed to be deployed into active conflict zones. The UK government has provided £1.5 million to the ICRC to help treat patients in 11 hospitals in Gaza by restocking vital medical supplies and providing physical rehabilitative services.