Foreign Affairs Committee: What is the FCDO’s plan B in Gaza?

The Foreign Affairs Committee is today (Tuesday 14 January) publishing three letters received by the Committee – one from UNRWA and two from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) – as part of its inquiry into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  

Hostages in Gaza 

The Foreign Secretary reasserts his intention to appoint an Envoy for arbitrary detention.  

He states that “we have left no stone unturned in our efforts to get the hostages home” and that the “Ministry of Defence conducts surveillance flights over the Eastern Mediterranean, including operating in airspace over Israel and Gaza”. 

He adds that “these surveillance aircraft are unarmed and do not have a combat role. They are tasked solely to locate hostages”. The response says that the FCDO “cannot…share everything that the Government is doing”. 

The letter states that the FCDO is working specifically to secure the safe and immediate release of British national Emily Damari and three hostages with strong UK-links, Eli Sharabi, Oded Lifschitz and Avinatan Or. It states that a ceasefire deal is “the best way to get the remaining hostages out”. 

The Foreign Secretary states that he has “in recent weeks…spoken to the Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, ensuring that Emily's release, and the release of the UK-linked hostages, is at the top of their agenda”. He says that “it was encouraging to see her [Emily's] name on the list of 34 hostages Hamas recently announced that it would be willing to release.” 

The Foreign Secretary challenges lawyer “Adam Rose's assertion to the Committee that the Government is unprepared for British nationals being taken hostage”.   

Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law 

The FCDO's letter states that it has “not been possible to make an assessment of Israel's compliance with the principle of proportionality”. It adds that “this is in part due to the opaque and contested information environment in Gaza and the challenges of accessing the specific and sensitive information necessary from Israel in relation to each incident, such as intended targets, anticipated military advantage and anticipated civilian harm”. 

UNRWA  

The correspondence from UNRWA states that the “Knesset's legislation forbidding Israeli state officials from engaging with UNRWA and prohibiting the Agency's operations in what it terms the ‘sovereign territory of the State of Israel' is a significant escalation in efforts to delegitimize the Agency”.  

The letter states that this is a “broader attempt to undermine Palestinians' right to self-determination and disrupt long-standing frameworks for resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict”. 

In the letter, UNRWA argues that “without intervention, millions of Palestine Refugees risk losing access to essential services, and the region's fragile stability will be further undermined”.  

The letter states that “the UK is well positioned to lead efforts to combat misinformation targeting UNRWA, advocate for a ceasefire, press the State of Israel for unrestricted humanitarian access, and champion accountability for violations of international law through international legal mechanisms.” 

UNRWA's letter adds that “social media campaigns and misinformation have falsely associated UNRWA with terrorist activities, further undermining its credibility and mission. Billboard and display ads against UNRWA in a number of large cities around the world bought by the Government of Israel aim at undermining the Agency.” 

In a letter from the FCDO, the Foreign Secretary states that “the humanitarian situation in Gaza is catastrophic” and that the UK continues to “press Israel on aid access, including urging the Israeli Government to delay the implementation of laws against UNRWA”. 

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Dame Emily Thornberry MP, said: 

“I am grateful for UNRWA's letter and the Foreign Secretary's two letters. The conflict in Gaza and the wider Middle East is catastrophic.  

“The loss of life is profoundly devastating. In Gaza, many are having to endure unimaginable suffering. Innocent Gazans, including many children, face an acute humanitarian crisis. Hostages are still being held by Hamas and other terrorists in Gaza, well over a year since the beginning of the conflict. This is unacceptable. 

“UNRWA's letter details the important role that the organisation plays in providing essential services to civilians in Gaza. The Knesset's attempt to block UNRWA leaves those who rely heavily on the organisation in a perilous, potentially life-threatening position.  

“While it is clear from the Foreign Secretary's letters that the FCDO is working hard to bring about a ceasefire and bring home the hostages, there has been little tangible progress.  

“The cold facts stand. Millions in Gaza are met daily with assaults from missiles and bombs. Dozens of hostages, including Britons and those with close links to the UK, are still held in Gaza, with no end to their suffering in sight.  

“My question to the Foreign Secretary is this: if our current approach continues to fail, what is the plan B?” 

ENDS 

NOTE TO EDITORS: 

The attachment includes five letters:   

·       A letter from Chair Dame Emily Thornberry to the Foreign Secretary David Lammy regarding hostages in Gaza and the Foreign Secretary's subsequent response. 

·       A letter from Chair Dame Emily Thornberry to the Foreign Secretary David Lammy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Foreign Secretary's subsequent response. 

·       A letter from UNRWA to the Foreign Affairs Committee.