Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on evacuation routes for Palestinians displaced from eastern Rafah.

As I told the House last week, Israel must facilitate immediate, uninterrupted humanitarian access in the south, especially the entry of fuel, and ensure the protection of civilians and safe passage for those who wish to leave Rafah.

We have been clear that we would not support a major operation in Rafah unless there is a very clear plan for how to protect people and save lives. We have not seen that plan so, in these circumstances, we would not support a major operation in Rafah.

The Foreign Secretary and I continue to press these points with our Israeli counterparts.