Thank you for your email on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
My concerns about Palestine long predate the horrific events of October 7th in the Hamas attacks. I have often spoken about Palestine in Parliament and in my other work as an MP. I have visited Israel and Palestine twice, most recently last May 2023 and it was obvious that Palestinians had lost hope. I have set up the Conservative Friends of Palestine organisation to raise awareness among Conservative MPs and we hold meetings to meet Palestinians and aid agencies. There have been several meetings recently where MPs from all parties have from people on both sides who have been caught up in the conflict in Gaza. I have sponsored a Parliamentarian event on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza on the 14th of March, a platform where Oxfam, other non-governmental organizations and experts engaged with Parliamentarians and key stakeholders to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
I have been clear that we need an immediate ceasefire. I continue to press the Foreign Secretary, Lord Cameron about the situation in Gaza. The UK is now adopting this position and voted for an immediate and sustained ceasefire to protect civilians in Gaza at the UN Security Council. You can read more about this here.
I am concerned about the prospect of UK arms being used in Israel’s actions in Gaza, which I believe have broken international law. You may want to read my comments in this article;
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/03/former-supreme-court-judges-say-uk-arming-israel-breaches-international-law
While I am not able to attend every debate on the floor of the house, I do make sure to attend as many as possible to shine a light on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and Palestine territories. You can find my latest speeches on the topic here: Contributions for Mrs Flick Drummond - Hansard - UK Parliament and you can find videos of my contributions on my Facebook page: Flick Drummond | Facebook.
The rule of law must remain paramount in all these matters whether at home or abroad. There is bipartisan agreement between the Government and Opposition on our approach, which is to press both sides to de-escalate and to return to the Oslo Accord principles. We need to get more aid in and to have a sustainable ceasefire so that Israelis and Palestinians can get back to the negotiating table.
However, I do worry that Israel's actions are not proportional and that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is unacceptable. I have also written an article for The House magazine on the topic which you can find here: Israel’s actions in Gaza are no longer proportionate (politicshome.com).
I will continue to work towards an immediate ceasefire on both sides, the release of the hostages, humanitarian aid brought in and the reinstating of UNRWA funding. Hamas needs to lay down its weapons and be brought to account for the October 7th atrocities, we all want an end to the bloodshed and fighting.
If you have not already signed up for my newsletter, where I update constituents on the work I am doing on this issue as well as the other aspects of my work as an MP, I recommend doing so. You can sign up at www.flickdrummond.com .
I hope this information is useful to you and thank you again for getting in touch.