Source · Select Committees · International Development Committee
Second Report - Humanitarian situation in Gaza
International Development Committee
HC 110
Published 1 March 2024
Recommendations
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.
Conclusions (8)
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.
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.
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.