To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to food in Gaza.
Answered on
13 May 2024
We continue to have grave concerns around humanitarian access in Gaza. Palestinians are facing a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis and there is an urgent need to get more aid to the people of Gaza to prevent a famine.
We have seen an encouraging increase in the number of aid trucks getting into Gaza and some World Food Programme aid has now moved from Ashdod Port into Gaza, but more needs to be done. We must see further action to ensure more aid actually gets over the border. We need progress on the UN's minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.
Aid will also not make a difference unless it can be properly and safely distributed. Guaranteed deconfliction for aid convoys and aid workers, and for other humanitarian work is essential.
The UK is playing a leadership role in alleviating that suffering. We trebled our aid commitment in the last financial year, and we are doing everything we can to get more aid in as quickly as possible by land, sea and air.