Written question asked by Andy Slaughter (Labour) on Friday, 23 July 2010, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 27 July 2010. It was answered by Alan Duncan (Conservative) on Monday, 6 September 2010 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the levels of access to Gaza for workers and for the import of humanitarian goods since Prime Minister Netanyahu's announcements of 20 June and 5 July 2010.

Answer: Since the announcements made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported an increase in the amount of goods entering Gaza, including humanitarian goods.Humanitarian organisations continue to report delays in processing approvals for a number of items needed for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of vital infrastructure. Difficulties in obtaining the necessary visas or permits for the staff of humanitarian organisations to enter or leave Gaza have also been reported.The UK is funding a United Nations team to work with the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, UN agencies and aid agencies to facilitate the transfer of goods and the movement of humanitarian workers.

Secondary information