This past week I had the privilege of introducing the e-petition debate titled “Urgently fulfil humanitarian obligations to Gaza”.
The petition gathered nearly 200,000 signatures at the time of debate, 200 of which were in my constituency of North Ayrshire and Arran. This petition was written in January 2025 and replied to by the Government in August 2025. In October 2025, a fragile ceasefire has been in place, following a plan proposed by the US. It is clear how fast-moving this situation is, and how the circumstances can change from day to day.
Since October 7th, 2023, this situation has touched people across the world, as the high number of people who have signed this petition shows. In my role as an MP, many people have written to me expressing their concerns and asking me to raise this with the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister, and I was proud to be able to do this in the debate, directly to the Minister.
The numbers of deaths and injuries in this conflict so far have been shocking. About 2,000 civilian Israelis and IDF soldiers have been killed in the conflict since October 7th, 2023. Almost 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, and over 170,000 have been injured, in the Gaza strip.
As was confirmed in August this year by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the Gaza Governorate is facing a famine. Tragically, the report stated that “over half a million people face catastrophic conditions characterised by starvation, destitution and death.” Blocking humanitarian aid, whether that be food, medicine, fuel or shelter, only worsens this situation. Unsurprisingly, 38% oh Gaza and North Gaza households rely on humanitarian aid as their primary source of food. This rises to 54% of households in the Deir al Balah and Khan Younis governorates.
This need will only intensify as we enter the winter season. As the temperature drops, people in Gaza will increasingly need fuel, shelter, and warm clothes. Already, heavy rain has affected 13,000 households in the Gaza strip, damaging current makeshift shelters and tents.
Despite this high need, and even after the October ceasefire, humanitarian aid is getting blocked at the borders. The United Nations stated this month that Israeli authorities have rejected over 100 requests to bring relief materials into the Gaza since the ceasefire, and since the 10th October over 6,490 metric tons of UN-coordinated relief materials have been denied entry into Gaza. It is important to note that over 3,700 metric tons were rejected on the grounds that the organizations were not authorized to bring relief items into Gaza.
I believe it is key that organisations which are specialised in delivering humanitarian aid are allowed to deliver it. Humanitarian aid is a specialist area, and the expertise cannot easily be replaced. Unfortunately, UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Association) has been banned by Israeli authorities from bringing humanitarian supplies into Gaza. This has been the case since October 2024, when the Israeli parliament voted to ban UNRWA from providing any service in Israel, East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank.
During the debate myself and many of my colleagues highlighted how important it is that no single party in the conflict has a veto on whether humanitarian aid can enter area.
The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel stated that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza strip, a key decision when discussing this topic.
Additionally, the July 2024 ruling of the International Courts of Justice sets out various obligations in respect of third states, which includes the obligation to ensure Israel complies with IHL. The International Development Committee June 2925 report also stated that “once impartial humanitarian relief schemes have been agreed to, the parties (whether or not parties to the armed conflict) must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of these relief schemes, subject to their right of control.”
The tragic situation in Gaza must come to an end as soon as possible. While the ceasefire is positive news, it is key that it holds, that it is a true ceasefire, and that aid enters as soon as possible, to keep up with the urgent and imminent need on the ground.
The fragile ceasefire in Gaza must hold and allow aid to pour into this devastated area
