Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 1
1
Deferred
Paragraph: 15
Logistical and bureaucratic hurdles severely impede humanitarian aid delivery into Gaza.
Conclusion
Getting aid into Gaza is logistically unnecessarily difficult. There are multiple checks and at the time the Committee visited, it was taking 20–25 days for a truck to get from the Egyptian Red Crescent warehouse in Al Arish into Gaza, a journey of around 30 miles. NGOs spoke of almost malicious bureaucracy, which saw trucks turned back for carrying just one perceived dual use item (although it was not explained what that one item was, nor why it was rejected).
Government Response Summary
The government welcomed Israel's commitment to increase aid flow to 500 trucks a day and open Ashdod Port and Erez border crossing. It stated it continues to press Israel for further changes regarding humanitarian access, deconfliction, and aid worker safety.
Paragraph Reference:
15
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
10. On 28 January 2024, the Foreign Secretary wrote an Op-Ed calling for an immediate pause in fighting to allow vital aid to get into Gaza. 11. When the Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu on 2 April, he made clear the UK expects to see immediate action by Israel to end restrictions on humanitarian aid. 12. We welcome the undertaking given by Israeli Foreign Minister Katz to the Foreign Secretary on 2 April that Israel will increase the flow of aid into Gaza to 500 trucks a day in total, including 100 a day through the Jordan land corridor. Prime Minister Netanyahu has also promised to open Ashdod Port and the Erez border crossing into North Gaza for humanitarian deliveries – all things we have long pressed for. We want to see Israel fulfil these vital commitments as quickly as possible. 13. We continue to press Israel to make further changes to ensure more aid can be delivered effectively, including a major change in the conduct of hostilities to protect civilians, reform of Israel’s deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers, and progress on the UN’s minimum operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza. 14. The Foreign Secretary’s Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Mark Bryson-Richardson, is based in the region and is working intensively to address the blockages preventing more aid reaching Gaza. Conclusion/