Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to help (a) reduce tensions between Israel and the (i) Gaza Strip and (ii) West Bank and (b) facilitate peace efforts; and if he will make a statement.

The UK Government supports all efforts to promote dialogue and create a pathway towards sustainable peace. As the Foreign Secretary said in his 14 May statement, we welcome the current Egyptian-brokered ceasefire and urge all sides to de-escalate tensions. The ceasefire must now be honoured to prevent the loss of further civilian life. The Foreign Secretary also wrote to his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on May 10 to affirm the UK's support for Israel's right to self-defence, but also to note UK concern at reports of civilian fatalities in Gaza, and to emphasise that all actions taken must be proportionate, calibrated to avoid civilian casualties, and in line with international humanitarian law.