Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 16
Advocate for opening all Gaza land crossings and extending operating hours for aid access.
Conclusion
The UK Government must call for all existing land crossings to be opened and for opening hours extended. This would speed up aid getting through the border and allow access to other areas of Gaza, particularly in the north. Ultimately, this is the only way to avoid famine. Pressure must be put on Israel to speed up the progress of aid through checkpoints and border crossings.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government outlines its diplomatic efforts, including calls for deconfliction and protection of aid workers, especially following the WCK killings. While highlighting the urgent need for more aid access and for Israel to do more, it does not explicitly commit to the specific recommendation of calling for all existing land crossings to be opened and their hours extended.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
16
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government · verbatim extract
Acknowledged
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/
Read the full response on Parliament ↗