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 improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

On 28 April, the UK announced a package of support for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including £101 million for humanitarian aid, support for Palestinian economic development, and strengthening Palestinian Authority governance and reform. As part of this package, on 21 May the Minister for Development announced a £4 million contribution to the British Red Cross to deliver humanitarian relief in Gaza through their partner the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. On 19 May we issued a statement, with France and Canada, calling on the Israeli Government to stop its military operations in Gaza and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter. We also issued a joint donor statement with 26 other signatories calling for a full resumption of aid into Gaza and for Israel to allow the UN and other aid organisations to operate independently. We continue to call on Israel to allow for a full resumption in the flow of aid into Gaza.