Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for lifting the blockade of Gaza; and what plans, if any, they have to achieve this.

Israeli restrictions damage the economy and living standards of ordinary people in Gaza. There remains an urgent need for all the parties to reach an agreement that addresses the underlying causes of the conflict in Gaza. This should ensure that Hamas and other militant groups permanently end rocket fire and other attacks against Israel and that Israel lifts its restrictions to allow the Gazan economy to grow. We welcome the recent positive steps that Israel has taken to ease some restrictions. However, we want to see Israel go much further, and we are continuing to call on Israel to do so.