
At today’s statement in the House of Commons on the Middle East, Labour MPs asked the Foreign Secretary about UK policy towards the 50 remaining Israeli hostages and support for civil society peacebuilding.
LFI chair Jon Pearce MP asked: “I recently met the mother of Oz Daniel, a 19-year-old who was murdered by Hamas on 7 October. His dead body was dragged into Gaza. Oz loved to play music; he loved Guns N’ Roses and was a brilliant guitar player. This is about a mum who just wants her dead son’s body brought home. A senior US official has said that Israel is bending over backwards to agree a ceasefire and that it is Hamas who are blocking it. Will the Foreign Secretary set out what pressure the Government are applying to Hamas, via Qatar and Egypt, to agree a ceasefire and to bring the hostages home?”
To which the Foreign Secretary replied: “My hon. Friend is right to the extent that the challenge faced on the ceasefire has been principally that Hamas do not want a pause and the Israeli Government have said that they do want a pause. There has also been discussion within Israel of what withdrawal we would see of the IDF and, of course, changing the humanitarian aid system. That is why a ceasefire has remained stuck, but it is my hope that once the Knesset rises on the 22nd, we will move to a ceasefire.”
Wirral West MP Matthew Patrick asked: “Last week I heard from Keith and Aviva Siegel, who had been held hostage by Hamas. It was a powerful reminder that until all hostages are released, no hostage is released. That is true for Avinatan Or and his family and Gali and Ziv Berman and their family—in fact, it is the families of hostages who are some of the loudest voices calling for an end to this war. Will the Secretary of State outline what steps he is taking to ensure that the next ceasefire is permanent and will see hostages get out of Gaza and aid get in?”
To which the Foreign Secretary replied: “I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his question; he is right to mention the hostages. I meet regularly with hostage families and did a few weeks ago in my office. He is absolutely right that the overwhelming majority of the Israeli people—83%—want a ceasefire so that the hostages can get out, and they want it to be a sustained and enduring ceasefire, which is not currently the position of Benjamin Netanyahu.”
Finally, Livingston MP Gregor Poynton asked: “The situation facing Gazans is truly catastrophic. We must secure a ceasefire as soon as possible, with all hostages freed and unhindered access to aid. Our experience in Northern Ireland shows that to build a long-term, sustainable peace we need to invest in civil society and peacebuilders, to create a consensus and to change opinions for the better. Will my right hon. Friend therefore tell us what the UK Government are doing to support the international fund for Israeli-Palestinian peace?”
To which the Foreign Secretary replied: “I reassure my hon. Friend that British taxpayers are funding NGOs that work across communities. We are supporting that work on the west bank and in Gaza. We are supporting accountability, because that is No. 1 when we look at some of the injustice being wrought. We will continue to do that work, including with the international humanitarian fund.”
You can read the full session here.