Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

(asked on 18th October 2023) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) provide funding and (b) other support to (i) the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, (ii) other UN agencies, (iii) Medical Aid for Palestinians and (iv) other UK-based organisations in responding to the situation in Gaza.


Answered by
David Rutley Portrait
David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 25th October 2023

The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid can reach civilian populations including food, water, fuel and medical supplies. 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 Organisations (NGOs), UN agencies, Civil Society Organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary was in the region where he met 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 will remain committed to mitigating the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and calling for international humanitarian law to be respected, while standing alongside the people of Israel against the terrorist group Hamas.

Reticulating Splines