---

Israel and Palestine: Gaza

I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement made by the Foreign Secretary in the other place. We welcome the ceasefire announced by the Israeli Government on Saturday, and the reciprocal ceasefire announced by Hamas. We also welcome reports of the continued gradual withdrawal of the Israeli defence forces. We all want to see the Middle East as the top priority for the incoming United States president and Administration. In the mean time, it is vital that we do what we can to help bolster what, at the moment, is a fragile ceasefire. Clearly, this must involve mechanisms to prevent weapons-smuggling into Gaza. Will the Minister be more specific about how weapons-smuggling through tunnels will be prevented? As part of the ceasefire arrangements, the Prime Minister has apparently offered Royal Navy support. The nature of this support is unclear. Will the Minister be more specific about this? What impact will it have on the many competing priorities of the Royal Navy, which now has so few frigates and destroyers? The Falklands guard ship has just been taken away to east Africa, so there is only one frigate covering west Africa, the West Indies and the Falklands. How can a single ship shuttle between these places and have any effect? Much as the Royal Navy would like to take on this commitment, it is hard to see how the Prime Minister is in a position to offer it, certainly for any length of time. Will the Minister also confirm that the Prime Minister has offered to help remove unexploded bombs in Gaza? Is the Minister satisfied that we have sufficient service personnel to do this, in addition to what they are doing in Afghanistan and Iraq, and their enduring commitments in this country? I declare an interest as honorary colonel of the Royal Engineer Territorial Army Bomb Disposal Regiment. It is vital that we help to ensure that there is a quick and effective aid supply to the people of Gaza. The Statement rightly points out that life for Gazans, already grim, has become desperate. We welcome the announcement that Britain will make available an additional £20 million in humanitarian aid. What steps will be taken to ensure that the severe constraints on the ability of humanitarian workers and supplies to reach the population are quickly addressed? In particular, what technical assistance will be needed to restore the basic infrastructure and prevent the spread of disease? Given the obvious need to open the crossings if aid and assistance is to enter Gaza on the scale needed, have the Israeli Government indicated when the crossings will be opened? Did the meeting at Sharm el-Sheikh agree a timetable for the opening of the crossings? Who will monitor the crossings? What role will the Palestinian Authority play, and what will happen to the Hamas representatives who are there on the ground? Are there any plans for a broader international monitoring mission? Finally, we on these Benches support the Statement’s clear message denouncing the anti-Semitic attacks that have taken place in this country. We will do all we can to work for their elimination.