To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what projects her Department supports to better facilitate health-related exit permits and medical delegations in Gaza.

In 2018 the Department for International Development provided £1.5 million to the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC) appeal which includes support to the capacity of eleven hospitals in Gaza. The ICRC has sent surgeons, nurses, and physiotherapists to Gaza to help the healthcare sector meet pressing health needs, including the large increase in injuries following the rise in violence since March.

The UK government also supports Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Global Britain Fund. PHRI advocate for Palestinian patients who require access for medical care. Other activities include medical delegations to Gaza with specialists, supplying medical services and supplies to the population and the health authorities and performing essential surgeries. The delegations provide a wide range of medical services, and also joint training and seminars with medical professionals in the hospitals and health centers for Palestinian medical professionals in Gaza and Israel.

The movement restrictions and the serious constraints imposed on Gaza impact the health of the population as well as the further development of quality health services. The UK Government regularly raises the matter of medical permits and access with the Israeli authorities.