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Hamas

Volume 495: debated on Tuesday 7 July 2009

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure that aid provided by his Department is not misappropriated by Hamas; and if he will make a statement. (283711)

We are monitoring the situation closely. It is imperative that aid reach the people in Gaza who need it. We are in contact with all our partners, including the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), to make sure that Government funding is being used appropriately and that the relief items are getting to those who need them.

There are well developed international mechanisms for the delivery of aid in Gaza, principally UNRWA and the World Food Programme. We urge aid agencies to ensure that they maintain the greatest possible distance from Hamas.