Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether his Department has received legal advice on the UK’s duty to prevent under the Genocide Convention for the conflict in Gaza.

As a party to the Convention, the UK is fully committed to the prevention and punishment of genocide as appropriate under the Convention. In terms of the situation in Gaza, our position on this is clear: Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas, in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. It is for courts to decide on matters of genocide, not for states. We of course respect the role and independence of the International Court of Justice.