Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Israeli government on an end to the blockade of Gaza.

I raised the issue of Gaza with the Israeli Justice Minister, the Intelligence Minister and the Deputy Foreign Minister on 6 October during my visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories from 6-8 October. Our Ambassador to Tel Aviv has also raised this issue with senior officials in the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and National Security Council on 7 and 8 Sept.

Israeli restrictions on the movements of goods and people do tremendous damage to the economy and living standards of ordinary people in Gaza and only serve to strengthen, not weaken, Hamas.

UK Ministers and senior officials have consistently urged Israel to further ease its restrictions on Gaza. An improved economy is not only essential to ease the suffering of the people, including the children, of Gaza, but firmly in Israel’s security interests