To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese’s report Torture and Genocide to the UN Human Rights Council, published in February 2026, addresses or omits the torture, sexual violence and mistreatment of hostages held by Hamas and...

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which Special Rapporteur on Palestine Francesca Albanese’s report Torture and Genocide to the UN Human Rights Council, published in February 2026, addresses or omits the torture, sexual violence and mistreatment of hostages held by Hamas and...

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to the UN Secretary-General's call in his Annual Report on Conflict-related Sexual Violence for accountability with due process of law for conflict-related sexual violence committed by Hamas during the 7 October 2023 attacks and in their aftermath.

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in response to the UN Secretary-General's call in his Annual Report on Conflict-related Sexual Violence for accountability with due process of law for conflict-related sexual violence committed by Hamas during the 7 October 2023 attacks and in their aftermath.

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the Civil Commission’s report 'Silenced No More: Sexual Terror Unveiled', published in May, particularly its conclusion that sexual and gender-based violence was used systematically during the 7 October 2023 attacks in Israel and subsequent hostage captivity;...

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the Civil Commission’s report 'Silenced No More: Sexual Terror Unveiled', published in May, particularly its conclusion that sexual and gender-based violence was used systematically during the 7 October 2023 attacks in Israel and subsequent hostage captivity;...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will set out whether the Prime Minister and any Number 10 special adviser reviewed the shortlist for the incoming special envoy for hostage affairs; and if Number 10 has selected a candidate to take up the...

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will set out whether the Prime Minister and any Number 10 special adviser reviewed the shortlist for the incoming special envoy for hostage affairs; and if Number 10 has selected a candidate to take up the...

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the Palestinian Authority through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative about reports of sexual violence against Israeli hostages in Gaza; and what support, if any, they have provided to Palestine to strengthen the prevention of sexual violence.

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the Palestinian Authority through the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative about reports of sexual violence against Israeli hostages in Gaza; and what support, if any, they have provided to Palestine to strengthen the prevention of sexual violence.

What have the UK, France and Canada said, and what has been the Palestinian, Israeli and international response?

What have the UK, France and Canada said, and what has been the Palestinian, Israeli and international response?

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether RAF flights over Gaza have led to (a) the release of any of the hostages and (b) other humanitarian benefits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether RAF flights over Gaza have led to (a) the release of any of the hostages and (b) other humanitarian benefits.

Lords statement on two of the world's gravest conflicts—in Gaza and in Sudan—following recent resolutions in the UN and discussions at the G7, and on the action that the UK Government are taking to pursue peace.

Lords statement on two of the world's gravest conflicts—in Gaza and in Sudan—following recent resolutions in the UN and discussions at the G7, and on the action that the UK Government are taking to pursue peace.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for giving the House the opportunity to respond to the Government’s Statement in the other place on two of the most serious conflicts in the world today. Given that these are two distinct issues, I will address the situation in Gaza first and then...

My Lords, I thank the Minister for giving the House the opportunity to respond to the Government’s Statement in the other place on two of the most serious conflicts in the world today. Given that these are two distinct issues, I will address the situation in Gaza first and then...

I agree with the noble Earl: we thank the Government for bringing the Statement to Parliament and for this opportunity to ask questions of the Minister. Having asked for a Statement at every single opportunity since I became leader of the Liberal Democrats in the Lords, I note that this...

I agree with the noble Earl: we thank the Government for bringing the Statement to Parliament and for this opportunity to ask questions of the Minister. Having asked for a Statement at every single opportunity since I became leader of the Liberal Democrats in the Lords, I note that this...

I thank both noble Lords for their thoughtful contributions, and I agree with much of what has been said. The noble Earl started by talking about the ceasefire in Gaza. We very much welcome this and will do everything we can to support the path to peace. As both noble...

I thank both noble Lords for their thoughtful contributions, and I agree with much of what has been said. The noble Earl started by talking about the ceasefire in Gaza. We very much welcome this and will do everything we can to support the path to peace. As both noble...

My Lords, I refer the House to my entry in the register of interests. In the Statement, the Foreign Secretary talked about the Manama dialogue in Bahrain. I was there, and I congratulate the Foreign Secretary for publicly calling for intense efforts to address the crisis in Sudan. She did...

My Lords, I refer the House to my entry in the register of interests. In the Statement, the Foreign Secretary talked about the Manama dialogue in Bahrain. I was there, and I congratulate the Foreign Secretary for publicly calling for intense efforts to address the crisis in Sudan. She did...

It would be a very good thing to get to a point where the process is embedded and the confidence is there to enable us to do that. I very much look forward to the day when these measures can be lifted, that is when we will know that there...

It would be a very good thing to get to a point where the process is embedded and the confidence is there to enable us to do that. I very much look forward to the day when these measures can be lifted, that is when we will know that there...

My Lords, I am glad that my noble friend the Minister quite rightly recognised that Sudan is not just an African problem, as it were, and I am delighted by all that she says about what our Government are doing. The noble Lord, Lord Purvis, rightly says that more aid...

My Lords, I am glad that my noble friend the Minister quite rightly recognised that Sudan is not just an African problem, as it were, and I am delighted by all that she says about what our Government are doing. The noble Lord, Lord Purvis, rightly says that more aid...

Those are really important questions. We will continue to protect our aid to Sudan. We have supported 2.5 million people, we are the third largest donor internationally, and we take our responsibilities to continue that support very seriously.

On the point about civil society and local organisations, in many areas in...

Those are really important questions. We will continue to protect our aid to Sudan. We have supported 2.5 million people, we are the third largest donor internationally, and we take our responsibilities to continue that support very seriously.

On the point about civil society and local organisations, in many areas in...

My Lords, as has been said, this is the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet, with half a million children already dead from starvation, 10 million more starving and millions more internally displaced or leaving the country as refugees. Tragically, the number starving actually is more than Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Gaza,...

My Lords, as has been said, this is the worst humanitarian crisis on the planet, with half a million children already dead from starvation, 10 million more starving and millions more internally displaced or leaving the country as refugees. Tragically, the number starving actually is more than Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Gaza,...

There is no doubt that this is the worst humanitarian crisis of our time by a considerable measure. The number of deaths,

the atrocities that are being committed, the lack of control and the normalisation of violence, particularly sexual violence, in this conflict are beyond anything that we have witnessed...

There is no doubt that this is the worst humanitarian crisis of our time by a considerable measure. The number of deaths,

the atrocities that are being committed, the lack of control and the normalisation of violence, particularly sexual violence, in this conflict are beyond anything that we have witnessed...

My Lords, I join those welcoming the commitment made in the Statement of £125 million of British taxpayer funding to Sudan and welcome the “life-saving support”, as it says, to over 650,000 people. Is the Minister aware of the comments made today by Jean-Martin Bauer of the World Food Programme,...

My Lords, I join those welcoming the commitment made in the Statement of £125 million of British taxpayer funding to Sudan and welcome the “life-saving support”, as it says, to over 650,000 people. Is the Minister aware of the comments made today by Jean-Martin Bauer of the World Food Programme,...

We will continue to fund the World Food Programme, because it is often the agency that can best get supplies mobilised at speed and at scale in these situations. The situation in Sudan is very difficult, even for the UN, because of the restrictions that are put in place and...

We will continue to fund the World Food Programme, because it is often the agency that can best get supplies mobilised at speed and at scale in these situations. The situation in Sudan is very difficult, even for the UN, because of the restrictions that are put in place and...