Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Second Report - Humanitarian situation in Gaza
International Development Committee
HC 110
Published 1 March 2024
Recommendations
12
Accepted
Para 46
Acknowledge and address the humanitarian crisis's disruptive impact on Egypt's economy and public services.
Recommendation
The Egyptian Red Crescent Society and Egypt’s Ministries of Health and Population and of Social Solidarity must be praised for their heroic work on the front line of supporting Gazans and coordinating efforts. The UK Government must acknowledge the disruption …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees, acknowledging the strain on Egypt's health system and its impressive support for Palestinians. The UK has offered assistance, including medical teams, and the British Embassy will remain in regular contact with Egypt's Ministry of Health to carefully consider any specific requests.
14
Acknowledged
Para 51
Adopt a comprehensive three-pillar approach addressing political, security, and humanitarian aspects of the crisis.
Recommendation
There needs to be a three-pillar approach to this crisis and its lasting resolution – covering political, security and humanitarian. All three are essential and cannot be seen in isolation, and whilst it is not the remit of this Committee …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that they continue to coordinate with international partners on plans for a sustained ceasefire and support for reconstruction of Gaza.
16
Acknowledged
Para 59
Require all international partners to recognise and plan for long-term support for Gaza's IDPs.
Recommendation
The internally displaced people (IDPs) in Gaza will not be able to go home when the fighting ends. Most do not have a home or livelihood to go to and children will have missed months of education. This means that …
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Government Response Summary
The government states that they continue to coordinate with international partners on plans for a sustained ceasefire and support for reconstruction of Gaza.
17
Accepted
Para 64
Plan future phases for Gaza's reconstruction, involving Palestinian people and international partners.
Recommendation
It is difficult to see past the horrors that are ongoing in Gaza today. But the UK Government must plan for the next phase. These plans must include the Palestinian people and will include discussions with bilateral partners and also …
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Government Response Summary
The government fully agrees on planning for the future, with recovery and reconstruction efforts led by Palestinians, and commits to working with allies to provide support to bolster the Palestinian Authority.
18
Accepted
Para 65
Include Gaza's people in reconstruction plans, supporting local businesses through financial mechanisms and contracts.
Recommendation
The UK Government must listen to the people of Gaza and include them in the plans for reconstruction. Allowing them to rebuild their businesses alongside their homes will allow much-needed economic activity to restart, help to restore the dignity of …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees and fully supports including Gazans and their economic recovery in reconstruction plans, including engaging Gazan firms and civil society organizations. The UK is considering various forms of support, such as grants, loans, insurance cover, and political engagement, in consultation with multilateral development bank partners.
19
Accepted in Part
Para 66
Prioritise collaboration with Palestinian civil society in Gaza's rebuilding, encouraging international inclusion.
Recommendation
The UK has specialisms in which it can lead, such as Preventing Sexual Violence. The UK Government needs to prioritise working with Palestinian civil society in all stages of the rebuilding in Gaza and encourage international partners also to include …
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Government Response Summary
The government will put empowering local actors and accountability to those affected at the centre of its approach, aligning with the call to prioritise Palestinian civil society. It is also considering expanding social protection approaches like cash payments to improve living conditions and dignity.
20
Accepted in Part
Para 69
Host an international conference on sustainable Gaza reconstruction, engaging donors and Palestinian businesses.
Recommendation
The UK Government should use its convening power and host a conference to consider how reconstruction of Gaza can be factored into future plans and how the international community can support that in a sustainable manner. This conference should include …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, acknowledging the need for the international community to consider Gaza's recovery and reconstruction and its ongoing engagement with stakeholders. However, it is not currently ready to commit to hosting an international conference as recommended.
21
Deferred
Push for rapid UNRWA governance improvements to restore UK and international funding swiftly.
Recommendation
This Committee understands that the UK Government wants to see UNRWA improve its governance and then return to receiving funding for its work in Gaza. The UK Government must push for this to happen quickly, both so that UK funding …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with UNRWA's vital role but states it paused funding due to allegations and is awaiting the outcome of UN investigations and careful consideration of reports. The UK will set out its position on future UNRWA funding only after this process, rather than actively pushing for quick resumption now.
23
Acknowledged
Para 78
Insist Israel complies with international humanitarian law, holding them accountable with partners.
Recommendation
It is not within this Committee’s remit to consider International Law but, in every conversation, it was raised with us and the arguments made were compelling that breaches of international law are taking place. The UK Government must insist that …
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Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, stating it has been clear with Israel that it must uphold international humanitarian law and that it regularly assesses Israel's commitment. It does not, however, commit to new specific actions to 'insist' or 'work with international partners to hold Israel to account' beyond its current approach.
24
Accepted
Para 79
Push Israel to allow necessary aid into Gaza and protect healthcare workers and facilities.
Recommendation
Following the ruling by the International Court of Justice on 26 January, the UK Government must push Israel to allow the necessary aid into Gaza. The Committee has received no reassurance that healthcare workers and facilities are being protected, as …
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Government Response Summary
The government agrees with the recommendation, stating the UK has long advocated for more aid into Gaza and the immediate release of hostages. The Prime Minister has directly communicated expectations to PM Netanyahu for immediate action to end aid restrictions, protect civilians, and repair infrastructure, while also underlining the need for Israel to ensure the safety of medical personnel and facilities.
25
Acknowledged
Press for contemporaneous evidence gathering for future investigations into international law compliance.
Recommendation
And the UK Government must press for evidence to be gathered contemporaneously so that thorough investigations about compliance with international law on both sides can take place after the fighting stops. (Paragraph 80) 22 Humanitarian situation in Gaza
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Government Response Summary
The government partially agrees, reiterating its stance that all parties must uphold international humanitarian law (IHL) and that it regularly assesses Israel's commitment. However, it does not specifically commit to pressing for contemporaneous evidence gathering for future investigations.
Conclusions (14)
1
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 15
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 …
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.
2
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 16
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 …
Government Response Summary
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.
3
Conclusion
Accepted
Para 26
The deconfliction system, whereby organisations notify the Israeli military about where they are going to be working and distributing aid, is not working, and aid workers have been killed and injured in their duties.
Government Response Summary
The government states Israel must ensure aid availability and open more crossings, while detailing its own specific actions to increase aid delivery. These include announcing military and civilian support for a maritime aid corridor and conducting multiple RAF airdrops.
4
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 27
NGOs and UN organisations have explained how their operations are severely limited by the scale of destruction in Gaza. The infrastructure is poor and some roads are impassable - and the desperation of the inhabitants means journeys present many challenges for their staff. With almost two million people living around …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees commercial supplies are crucial and has raised this with Israeli authorities. It continues to work with partners on proposals to increase commercial truck access and UKAID programming is ready to support these increased supplies.
5
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 28
The UK Government must prioritise urgent discussions with the Israeli authorities to speed up security and improve the deconfliction systems so that aid workers can operate more safely. The UK Government should lead discussions with the international community to increase security for aid workers in the region.
Government Response Summary
The government deflected the recommendation, discussing Gaza's economic recovery and reconstruction planning with the World Bank and UN agencies, rather than addressing aid worker safety and deconfliction systems.
6
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 29
Unfortunately, little can be done from the UK to support the mental health of aid workers at this time, but no one should lose sight of the scale of care that will be needed for these people - as well as the wider Gazan population - after this conflict comes …
Government Response Summary
The government has offered to assist Egypt with its health system, including potentially deploying medical teams, and will carefully consider requests from Egypt's Ministry of Health. It does not directly commit to supporting the mental health of aid workers or the Gazan population.
7
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 33
Current border restrictions will make it impossible to avert a famine. The state of desperation in Gaza has been emphasised to this Committee. Food is not getting through in anything close to the amounts needed. Lack of certainty of supply is driving desperate behaviour in the population and gives opportunity …
Government Response Summary
The government's response discusses the effectiveness and role of its MAP Hub in atrocity prevention within the FCDO, completely ignoring the recommendation about border restrictions and the looming famine in Gaza.
8
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 34
Both of these issues would be lessened by a massive increase in food entering Gaza– flooding the market, as some aid workers have described it. Opening more crossings would allow more trucks to enter, but logistics systems must be improved so that Humanitarian situation in Gaza 19 more trucks can …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees on the need for future recovery and reconstruction led by Palestinians and promises to work with allies to bolster the Palestinian Authority, but it does not address immediate actions to increase food entry into Gaza.
9
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 35
The UK Government must make it an absolute priority to avoid famine by getting sufficient amounts of food aid into Gaza, as measured by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). This will give certainty to the population there, which will ease other issues, including improving security for aid workers …
Government Response Summary
The government deflected the recommendation, stating it supports a World Bank, UN, and EU damage and needs assessment for reconstruction planning and is considering various forms of support for economic recovery, rather than addressing specific actions to increase food aid and streamline entry.
10
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 40
Commercial vehicles have always formed a vital part of supplies to Gaza. The UK Government must put pressure on Israel to allow commercial goods to enter and be delivered to Gaza safely to supplement other resources.
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on supporting social and psycho-social recovery for Gazans, empowering local actors, considering cash payments, and offering support from its Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative, without addressing the recommendation to pressure Israel to allow commercial goods into Gaza.
11
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 41
Gazans also need to be supported to rebuild their own internal food market, from growing fruit and vegetables to raising livestock - all of which occurred before this crisis. The UK must build this into any future plans for its support to Gaza after the current conflict.
Government Response Summary
The government agrees the international community must consider recovery and reconstruction, but makes no specific commitment to supporting the rebuilding of Gaza's internal food market or integrating this into UK future plans.
13
Conclusion
Acknowledged
While the comments above will mitigate some of the worst horrors of the situation, the Committee is clear that unless there is a lasting ceasefire, this catastrophe will continue to escalate. According to those we spoke to, anything less than 30 days would not allow enough aid in, or give …
Government Response Summary
The Government says they continue to coordinate with like-minded international partners on plans for a sustained ceasefire and support for reconstruction of Gaza, after the current conflict has ended.
15
Conclusion
Deferred
Para 53
In its previous report, this Committee welcomed the Government’s introduction of the Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation (OCSM) with a hub to consider atrocity prevention. However, it seems that this hub has not met its promise. The FCDO should revisit our previous report and look at how to improve …
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on the importance of protecting healthcare workers and facilities in Gaza and ensuring effective deconfliction, entirely sidestepping the recommendation to improve the OCSM hub for atrocity prevention.
22
Conclusion
Acknowledged
Para 73
UNRWA is the only functioning organisation in parts of Gaza and the people of Gaza need its support. Whether it needs to be reformed to support long-term regeneration in Gaza is an important question but is one for the future planning.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges UNRWA's vital role in Gaza and that it provides important distribution capacity. However, it notes that future funding to UNRWA is currently paused due to allegations, pending consideration of independent investigation reports and UNRWA's response.