With permission, I will update the House on the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and detail our latest efforts to get aid to those in desperate need.
Madam Deputy Speaker, this is a fragile ceasefire – but it brings much-needed hope for the Israeli and Palestinian people.
The agreement to end the fighting and release the hostages is what this Labour government has been pressing for from the moment we came to office.
I thank Qatar, Egypt and the US for their tireless efforts, and echo the Prime Minister in wishing Emily Damari and the other former hostages well as they begin to recover from their horrific ordeals.
We continue to call, Madam Deputy Speaker, for their immediate release of all those still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones, including the remaining hostages with links to the UK.
Madam Deputy Speaker, civilians in Gaza have endured suffering that defies belief, and this deal brings hope that they can start to rebuild their lives.
In the days since the guns were silenced, Israel has opened up mechanisms to surge in aid.
The UN and aid organisations have been working tirelessly to deliver the humanitarian aims of the ceasefire agreement.
After so much time waiting at the border – delays I saw for myself in December – trucks are now streaming in.
Partners on the ground report that more than 200,000 food parcels have been dispatched to more than 130 distribution points since the ceasefire.
This government has been at the forefront of the humanitarian effort in Gaza since we came to office.
Overturning the suspension of funding to UNRWA and then boosting our support. Supporting UK-Med field hospitals to help the injured. Working with Egypt to support those Medevac-ed out of Gaza and providing vital resources to UNICEF and the World Food Programme.
Today, I am pleased to announce that the UK is investing in the ceasefire.
UK support will be distributed to the UN and key medical partners, so that tens of thousands of civilians get the healthcare, food and shelter they need.
That support will amount to £17 million from the UK to get more aid into Gaza and restore services. The figure also includes £2 million for the World Bank to support the construction and restoration of critical water and energy infrastructure.
The UK has already helped around 284,000 people in Gaza to access water, sanitation and hygiene services.
Today’s uplift brings our commitment for the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Palestinian refugees in the region to £129 million this financial year.
I am also pleased to announce to the House that this morning, Jordanian air force helicopters started landing in Gaza with UK-funded medical supplies and logistical support from UK armed forces.
I thank Jordan for their excellent commitment to getting aid in, in such challenging circumstances. We will continue to support our Jordanian partners in this initiative.
But more action is needed.
The air bridge to Gaza is no substitute for road routes, which must remain open.
We also call on Israel to allow more essential items like tents, mattresses and medical equipment in.
As people start to move home, basic services need to be put back in place, and unexploded bombs and mines cleared.
Without this, even more lives will be lost.
And of course, the UN and humanitarian agencies must be able to operate freely.
This Government has repeatedly stated the need for UNRWA to continue its lifesaving assistance to the people of Gaza, Jerusalem and the West Bank.
The Knesset legislation taking effect on the 30th of January risks impeding the progress made since the ceasefire. Israel must allow the agency to continue to operate.
The legislation does not and cannot change the fact that Israel has a responsibility under international law to facilitate humanitarian assistance.
As the UN Security Council heard last week, a million Gazan children need support to process their traumatic experiences – their suffering cannot be underestimated.
And around fifteen and a half thousand patients need medical evacuation, according to the World Health Organisation. Routes must be opened for them to get this treatment.
Madam Deputy Speaker, the UK and wider international community stand ready to support Palestinians as they begin to rebuild their lives, their homes and their communities.
We are under no illusions concerning the scale of the challenge ahead.
The overwhelming majority of homes in Gaza are damaged or destroyed. The economy has collapsed. And basic services, including energy and water, have been knocked out.
So, we are working with partners to urgently find ways to
best finance and support recovery and reconstruction efforts.
It is essential that the coming surge of assistance is properly coordinated, and with the access and security to reach those in need.
The Palestinian Authority has a crucial role to play and we are providing technical and financial assistance to the Authority, including to support the urgent recovery of basic services.
Madam Deputy Speaker, the UK has always been clear that this ceasefire is just the first step. We must build confidence on all sides to help sustain it, progress through all its phases and turn it into a lasting peace that assures the security of Israelis and Palestinians alike.
The UK will focus all of our efforts on keeping up the momentum, using every diplomatic channel available.
As you will know, Madam Deputy Speaker, the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for the Middle East kept up the drumbeat of engagement during their visits to Egypt and the United Nations last week.
We will keep up the pace until every hostage is released, aid reaches all those in need, and Palestinians are able to rebuild their homes and their lives.
I commend this statement to the House.
