: Since the
violence erupted in Gaza at the beginning of October, the death
toll has now passed 18,000 in just over two months. Analysis has
shown that the majority of the deaths have been innocent
civilians, many of them children, which is utterly heartbreaking.
This is why it's imperative that a permanent ceasefire is
secured, as called for in the Plaid Cymru motion we debated here.
Until that is achieved, the situation is precarious, to say the
least.
One resident with family in Palestine contacted Plaid Cymru to
say that more than 30 family members had been killed in their
homes. Those who survived are living in tents. He said, 'Even
areas previously considered safe by Israeli forces, such
as the south of Gaza, have become relentless targets, leaving no
safe haven, according to the United Nations human rights
organisation.' He added, 'I'm reaching out to you in a desperate
plea for assistance in securing the immediate and safe passage
for my family out of Gaza on humanitarian grounds. We request
temporary humanitarian residency until it is safe for them to
find a more permanent solution.' Minister, Wales opened its arms
in welcome and support for refugees from Syria, Afghanistan and
Ukraine in recent years. What discussions has the Government had
with the UK Government to establish a refugee scheme, and how
could Wales play its part in such a scheme, to offer a safe
passage and a sanctuary to the people of Gaza who want to flee
the bloodshed?
(Minister for Social Justice
and Chief Whip): It's something that—. I was able to join in an
inter-ministerial meeting with the Minister for refugees, , and also a colleague,
Scottish Government Minister as well, at a meeting we held
last week. We were covering a whole range of issues in relation
to refugees—Ukrainian, Afghan refugees, wider asylum
dispersal—but also this question was raised. It was raised in
terms of could there be another route or way in which we
could support those caught up in the conflict. I think we all
have—many of us, anyway—got constituents who've got family
members. We've just actually been hearing about this at a meeting
we've been holding just now, the First Minister and myself, with
the Muslim community. Of course, obviously, this is not
devolved—any matter relating to foreign policy is for the UK
Government, not the Welsh Government or the Senedd. And, of
course, there is a priority to get much greater aid into Gaza.
The discussion we had related to supporting British nationals to
see if there were any routes to that, because it is important
that they know what their rights are and their entitlements. But
we want to see a pause to this conflict, we clearly do, and
that's what's going to stop these terrible situations that you've
described today.
