I was on the front bench in the Chamber of the House of Commons yesterday afternoon to hear my friend and Minister of State for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell MP, deliver a statement on the Humanitarian Situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
In a considered and compassionate tone, as always, he said:
"A tragedy is unfolding. Israel has suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history. Palestinian civilians in Gaza are experiencing a devastating humanitarian crisis and violence is rising in the west bank. The best estimates emerging from a confused situation are that 2.3 million people need access to safe drinking water, food supplies are running out, one third of hospitals have been forced to shut down and 1.5 million people are displaced. I know that the whole House shares my pain at seeing so many innocent lives destroyed on and since 7 October.
Britain is working intensively to get more aid into Gaza, to support the safe return of hostages and British nationals, to back Israel’s right to self-defence and to prevent a dangerous regional escalation. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have been engaging extensively and Lord Ahmad has been constantly in the region. This morning I met a group of charities and non-governmental organisations involved in getting life-saving support into Gaza."
Read the full statement here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/.../F42FB301-D582.../details
