Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support the Government has provided for healthcare and sanitation in Gaza in each of the last three years.

Alistair Burt, Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office: In 2018/19, the UK is providing £1.5 million to support the International Committee of the Red Cross appeal. This support will help to treat patients in 11 hospitals under pressure in Gaza, by restocking vital medical supplies following the recent surge in violence.

In 2017/18 the UK provided £1.9 million to support the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Gaza urgent funding appeal. This is delivered through the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to support critical water and sanitation facilities to stop the spread of disease. This support will continue until September 2018.

In each of the last three years the UK helped to provide basic health services to 1.3 million people in Gaza through our long-term support of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA).

Hansard

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