Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allowing injured Palestinians to be treated at UK hospitals until their health is stabilised.

The UK Government is monitoring the situation in Gaza carefully and keeping this situation under review, recognising that there will be many people facing very challenging circumstances and decisions. The UK Government is also calling for unimpeded humanitarian access in Gaza, so that essential aid can reach civilian populations, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies. It is important that all possible measures are taken to protect civilians and ensure safe humanitarian access. Alongside this, the UK is exploring how best to support the medical needs of those in Gaza, including what options can be provided in the region.

The early work we have done shows that there is much we can do in the region, and we are focussed on supporting medical assistance in the region, including through the field hospitals that have been established, helping to send medical teams to referral hospitals in the region. Should specific cases be identified where individuals would be better off taking the long journey to Britain, we do not rule that out and we will continue to look at this.