Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Israeli counterpart on (a) ending Israeli restrictions on the supply of water, food and fuel into Gaza and (b) rescinding of the evacuation order issued by the Israeli Defence Force.

The Prime Minister spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on 12 October. He reiterated the need to ensure the protection of innocent civilians and underlined the importance of safe humanitarian access to Gaza. On 19 October the Foreign Secretary travelled to the region where he met meet leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar and pushed for agreement on humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of British hostages and foreign nationals and securing safe passage for British Nationals to leave Gaza.

The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid including food, water, fuel and medical supplies can reach civilian populations. On the 16 October, the Prime Minister announced £10 million in humanitarian funding for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) and on 23 October a further £20 million in response to the escalating conflict. This funding will allow trusted partners, including key UN agencies to provide essential relief items and services. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system (including Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) UN agencies and Civil Society Organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We will continue to use all the tools of British diplomacy to sustain the prospects of peace and stability in the region.