Watch my question on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

This week the Middle East Minister delivered a wide-ranging statement on what has occurred in the region over the Christmas break.

Since parliament broke up for recess, large-scale protests have erupted in Iran and a potential resolution to the long-running humanitarian crisis in Yemen has appeared.

In my response I focused on Gaza and specifically I questioned the Minister’s use of language.

In his statement, he said: “Too much aid is still stuck at Gaza’s border.”

That is not entirely correct. The aid is not stuck. Israel is blocking it.

On the penultimate day of 2025, Israel revoked the licences of 37 international NGOs working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, including Oxfam.

This is despite UN-backed security experts finding that 100,000 Palestinians are still experiencing ‘catastrophic conditions’ and most of Gaza’s two million population living in tents or makeshift shelters.

These people desperately need aid and passive statements from the Government won’t help it reach

them.

I asked the Minister what further steps the Government was considering.

You can hear his response below.