Foreign Office minister tells MPs he is ‘deeply concerned’ about famine risk in Gaza

Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell has told MPs he is “deeply concerned” about the growing risk of famine in Gaza and the psychosocial impacts of the conflict, and has called for Israel  to “do more” to provide land routes for aid.

During an urgent question on the situation in Gaza, Mitchell said: “We are deeply concerned about the growing risk of famine, exacerbated by the spread of disease and of course the terrible psychosocial impacts of the conflict that will be felt for years to come.

“We are totally committed to getting humanitarian aid to all the people in Gaza who desperately need it. Either ourselves, or through UN agencies and British or other charities. We and our partners are pushing to get aid in through all feasible means by land, sea and air.”

Responding, Labour shadow foreign secretary David Lammy told the Commons: “Famine in Gaza is imminent, half the population is expected to face catastrophic levels of hunger, the highest number of people ever recorded under this system. Only twice in 20 years have famine conditions been reached.

“But what distinguishes the horror in Gaza from what has come before is this is not driven by drought or natural disaster – it is man-made. It is the consequences of war, it is the consequence of aid that is available not reaching those who need it. Food is piled up in trucks just a few kilometres away, while children in Gaza are starving. It’s unbearable, and it must not go on.

“International law is clear, Israel has an obligation to ensure the provision of aid, the binding measures ordered by the ICJ (International Court of Justice) require this.”

The Conservative MP Mark Pritchard (The Wrekin) also asked if a further 30,000 Palestinian civilians could be killed if Israel enters Rafah.

He told the Commons: “The centre of this crisis, whatever people’s faith or lack of faith, are children and women and men and the vulnerable suffering right now.”

In another highly charged debate Labour and SNP MPs pressed Andrew Mitchell on why the government was not calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

He said:”The problem with calling for an immediate ceasefire is it may solve our consciences but it is not deliverable because neither side supports it.”  

Mitchell also noted how the Bradford East  Labour MP Imran Hussain failed to call for the release of the hostages still held by Hamas in a lengthy rant about the appalling situation in Gaza.Hussain accused Israel of using starvation as a “weapon of war” and asked how many more innocent Palestinians will be “massacred” in the region.

“Missing from what he said then was an urgent call for the release of the hostages, “noted Mitchell, in response.