Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will work with other EU member states to address any legitimate security constraints affecting Israel that could prevent the lifting of the Gaza blockade.

As EU Foreign Ministers made clear at the Foreign Affairs Council on 15 August, the EU stands ready to contribute to a sustainable ceasefire, which must address Israel’s legitimate security concerns, and ease access restrictions to allow Gaza’s economy to grow. The UK will work closely with other EU states to develop options for EU support for a sustainable ceasefire, including by supporting a possible international mechanism endorsed by the UNSC, and through the reactivation and possible extension in scope and mandate of its CSDP missions on the ground.