Asked by: Lord Bishop of Southwark (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel following the demolition of the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine in East Jerusalem.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Lord Bishop to the joint statement issued by the Foreign Secretary and a number of her overseas counterparts on 28 January, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
We the Foreign Ministers of Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom strongly condemn the demolitions by the Israeli authorities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) headquarters in East Jerusalem, on 20 January 2026.
This unprecedented act against a United Nations agency by a UN Member State marks the latest unacceptable move to undermine their ability to operate. We urge the Government of Israel to abide by its international obligations to ensure the protection and inviolability of United Nations premises in accordance with the provisions of the UN General Convention (1946) and the Charter. We call upon the Government of Israel, a member of the United Nations, to halt all demolitions.
We reiterate our full support for UNRWA's indispensable mission to provide essential services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem. We welcome UNRWA's commitment to reform and implementation of the recommendations of the Colonna Report to ensure they meet the highest standards on neutrality and integrity. UNRWA is a service provider delivering healthcare and education to millions of Palestinians across the region, particularly in Gaza, and must be able to operate without restrictions. We reiterate our deep concern regarding the application by the Government of Israel of legislation, adopted by the Knesset in October 2024 and strengthened in December 2025, forbidding any contact between Israeli state entities and officials and UNRWA, prohibiting and de facto preventing any UNRWA presence within Israel and in Jerusalem including the supply of electricity, water and gas to properties registered under UNRWA.
Israel agreed to President Trump's 20-Point Plan, which committed to the entry and distribution of aid into Gaza, led by the UN and Red Crescent and without interference. We call on the Government of Israel to fully abide by its obligations to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in accordance with international law. Despite the increase in aid entering Gaza, conditions remain dire and supply is inadequate for the needs of the population. Therefore, we call on the Government of Israel to take the following urgent and essential steps:
- Allow the expanded, safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid and services throughout the whole of Gaza and the West Bank in accordance with international humanitarian law.
- Ensure that international NGOs are able to operate in Gaza, including by lifting restrictive registration requirements.
- The reopening of all crossing points, including the announced plans to re-open the Rafah crossing in both directions.
- And lift persistent restrictions on humanitarian goods' imports, including items considered to have a "dual use" that are essential to humanitarian and early recovery operations.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the viability of an International Peace Fund for Israel and Palestine; and what contribution the UK will make to it.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
It was announced on 9 December that the UK will host a key peacebuilding conference on 12 March next year, bringing together international experts and civil society organisations from the Middle East, to map existing peace-building work and support the establishment of an International Peace Fund for Israel and Palestine. Discussions will focus on the practical steps that the Peace Fund can best support, and the best practice that can be learned from other similar initiatives, including the International Fund for Ireland that helped support dialogue and reconciliation between unionist and nationalist communities more than a decade before the Good Friday Agreement. The fund will support activities that bring Israelis and Palestinians together to reduce violence, build trust, and create the conditions for a lasting and just peace.
Asked by: Chi Onwurah (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment has she made of the implications for her policies of the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner press release entitled “More than a human can bear”: Israel's systematic use of sexual, reproductive and other forms of gender-based violence since October 2023, published on 13 March 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Allegations of sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians by Israeli forces are extremely concerning. We unequivocally condemn sexual violence in Palestine, in Israel, and wherever it occurs in the world. The UK has consistently called for all reports, to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims and survivors. We continue to call on Israel to fully enable the UN and its agencies to deliver their mandate in Palestine, including allowing the UN and partners to implement protection programmes for survivors of gender-based violence and vulnerable groups.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their sanctions policy in relation to Israel, following that country’s attack on Qatar on 9 September.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
On 11 September, the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN, Dame Barbara Woodward, condemned Israel's strikes on Doha as a "flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar," warning of the risk of further escalation. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have both expressed grave concern over the incident, reaffirming UK solidarity with Qatar and calling for de-escalation. Since taking office, this Government has announced three packages of sanctions in relation to Israel/Palestine. In June we imposed sanctions on Israeli Cabinet Ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir, in their personal capacity for inciting violence towards Palestinians, while the previous rounds targeted individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations perpetrating and supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.
Asked by: Baroness Primarolo (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 25 July (HL9515), what further assessment they have made of reported deaths of Palestinians trying to access distribution points for humanitarian aid.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We were horrified by the repeated reports of civilians being killed or injured while seeking humanitarian aid near distribution points in Gaza, and we are consistently reminding our Israeli counterparts that international law requires the protection of healthcare workers, journalists and civilians. We continue to work with partners, including the UN, United States and Israel, to ensure that civilians across Gaza are protected and the safe delivery of humanitarian aid is facilitated, most recently in the Foreign Secretary's discussions at the UN General Assembly meetings in New York and in a call with Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar on 3 October.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question HL2234 on Israel: Palestinians UIN, whether the International Committee of the Red Cross is given regular access to Marwan Barghouti.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities and continue to raise this with the Israeli government as a priority. The UK reaffirms our support for the ICRC as the only humanitarian actor with the experience, capability, independence and mandate to carry out their important responsibilities. We believe it is critical that the ICRC is given regular access to detainees to deliver on their independent visiting role, as enshrined within the 1949 Geneva Conventions.
Asked by: Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat - Sutton and Cheam)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps she is taking to secure the release of Palestinian children held in Israeli military detention centres.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 13th October to Question 76963.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with the Palestinian Authority to support a two-state solution.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the announcements made by the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on 21 September, further details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-formally-recognises-palestinian-state.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 August 2025 to Question 68668 on Israel: Palestinians, if she will have discussions with her Israeli counterparts on (a) releasing children held in administrative detention, (b) the transparancey of information on the number of Palestinian children detained and (c) allegations in relation to the abuse of those children in detention.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK regularly raises our concerns about Palestinian children in detention with the Israeli authorities. We are clear that children must always be protected, and their rights upheld in accordance with international law. We are horrified by reports of mistreatment or abuse of Palestinian children in detention and call on the Israeli authorities to investigate these urgently and to ensure any perpetrators are held to account. Children must only be detained in line with internationally agreed juvenile justice standards or other applicable international law, and we call for an end to the military detention of Palestinian children where this is incompatible with those principles. We continue to call on Israel to immediately facilitate urgent, unhindered access to all child detainees from the West Bank and Gaza to persons providing legal assistance, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and appropriate experts for the purposes of monitoring and reporting.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he is having with international partners on protecting Palestinians living in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and East Jerusalem.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the announcements made by the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary on 21 September, further details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-formally-recognises-palestinian-state.