Watch my call for Israel to allow unfettered aid into Gaza

War and restrictions have triggered an “unprecedented collapse across the Palestinian economy…significantly undermining every pillar of survival…and plunging Gaza into a human-made abyss.”

That is the assessment from a new report by the UN Trade and Development Agency, which estimates that rebuilding the Gaza strip will cost more than $70bn.

But even after reconstruction is complete, the effects on the Palestinian people could persist for generations. We know from WW2 how starvation can affect the health of the descendants of famished people.

It can also lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes later in life if not treated immediately. This week, I attended a parliamentary debate on Israel’s humanitarian obligations in Gaza.

While an incredibly fragile ceasefire is just about holding, the suffering of Palestinians has not ceased. Hospitals in Gaza are running out of essential supplies, with stocks of gauze, antiseptics, thermometers, and antibiotics all running low.

Doctors have said there isn’t much difference from before the ceasefire came into place. A similar story is playing out with food, with hundreds of thousands still in urgent need of assistance.

The recovery of Gaza cannot begin without unfettered access to aid. Israel must fulfil its international obligations and allow its access.