Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the potential merits of a ceasefire.

The Foreign Secretary remains in close contact with his US counterpart. In November 2023, the Foreign Secretary spoke with US Secretary of State Blinken following the G7, where the US had set out its guiding principles for future arrangements in the Israel-Gaza crisis. The Foreign Secretary and Secretary Blinken both expressed their support for humanitarian pauses to increase the volume of aid and aid workers into Gaza. The UK supports the civilian protection plans outlined by the US Secretary of State at COP28 in December 2023. On 7 December, the Foreign Secretary travelled to Washington, D.C. to speak with Secretary Blinken about the conflict including the enormous humanitarian and civilian need.