Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the arrangement under discussion between the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Gaza and the Palestinian Authority, to make Mohammed Dahlan the leader of the government in Gaza, and so partially lift the closure on the Strip by Egypt and Israel.

We are aware of media reports that suggest some coordination between Hamas and Egypt in order to tackle the ongoing electricity crisis in the Gaza Strip. We are clear that there needs to be a long-term solution to the situation in Gaza, which results in the Palestinian Authority resuming control and restoring effective and accountable governance for the benefit of the Gazan people.