Letter: The Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza

As a dad, I cannot begin to imagine the horror of watching your child starve or be caught in conflict while simply trying to find food.

What we are witnessing in Gaza is utterly inhumane. My constituents across South Ribble have written to me in their hundreds, demanding action and I agree with them.

I’ve written to the Foreign Secretary urging immediate steps to protect civilians, ensure aid is delivered, and support a lasting path to peace.

Letter to the Foreign Secretary  The Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza

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I am writing to you again following the unacceptable and unbearable situation we are witnessing unfold in Gaza. What we are seeing is not a crisis of supply, but a deliberate denial of access. This is the systematic starving of a civilian population, and it cannot be allowed to continue. As a parent, I find the images emerging each day almost impossible to process. No one should have to watch footage of children dying of hunger or parents being gunned down trying to collect food. It is a moral and legal outrage.

I welcome the comments made by the Prime Minister yesterday, particularly his clear call for a ceasefire, his reaffirmation that Palestinian statehood is an inalienable right, and his recognition that a lasting peace must begin with meaningful political steps. I also recognise the steps the Government has already taken, including suspending trade talks with Israel and defending the role of international courts. These are necessary and welcome actions.

But they are not enough. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has collapsed. The Israeli Government’s clampdown on aid is cruel, dangerous and unsustainable. Distribution points have been slashed from 400 to just 4. A UN agency has stated that 6,000 lorries' worth of aid are ready to enter Gaza. The only thing stopping it is the refusal to allow access. This system deprives Palestinians of dignity and directly puts their lives at risk. Since May, almost 1,000 people have died trying to access aid. There are now near-daily reports of civilians being shot at while attempting to reach food and water.

These are not unfortunate side effects of conflict. They are the results of deliberate policy decisions. Killing civilians who are seeking only to survive is indefensible. These acts are not just morally abhorrent, they represent serious violations of international law.

We keep saying the time to act is now. That time has long passed. There is no justification for allowing this level of suffering to continue. It is no longer enough to express concern. The UK must work with our allies and use every tool at our disposal to demand unfettered humanitarian access, the protection of civilians, and accountability for those breaking international law.

There is no room for negotiation when it comes to protecting children from starvation.

Yours sincerely,

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