Palestinians: International Assistance

Dr. Starkey
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request his Israeli counterpart to allow aid items into Gaza.

Mr. Ivan Lewis
We continue to press the Israeli authorities, both at an official and ministerial level, to ease border restrictions into Gaza and allow the passage of essential humanitarian aid and reconstruction material. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised this, during a telephone conversation, with his counterpart on 25 November 2009. These concerns were also highlighted by the EU Foreign Ministers at their meeting on 8 December 2009.