Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report entitled Gaza: Fewer than 1 in 4 aid missions given green light, published on 16 January 2024.

There is a desperate need for increased humanitarian support to Gaza. The Prime Minister discussed the situation in Israel and Gaza with President Biden on 22 January; the UK and US share deep concerns about the terrible suffering and loss of civilian lives and are working together to establish a new aid route through the port of Ashdod.

An immediate humanitarian pause is now necessary to get aid in and hostages out. Israel must take steps, working with other partners including the UN and Egypt, to significantly increase the flow of aid into Gaza including allowing prolonged humanitarian pauses, opening more routes into Gaza and restoring and sustaining water, fuel and electricity.

We have trebled our aid commitment for this financial year and are working closely with partners in international agencies and in the region to increase access. The Foreign Secretary's Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is based in the region and working intensively to address the blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza.