Sir Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will support the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs' humanitarian funding appeal for Gaza.

Alistair Burt, Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office: I recently visited Gaza and saw the dire situation that Gazans face on a daily basis. We are providing new humanitarian support of £1.5 million through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which is not covered by the UN Appeal. ICRC activities include support to patients in 11 hospitals under pressure in Gaza, by restocking vital medical supplies following the recent surge in violence.

Last year, 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.

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