“Nothing that's been reported braces you for the true scale of horror in Gaza" - IDC reports back on conditions in Gaza

Members of the International Development Committee have visited Al-Arish in the Sinai desert, Egypt. Co-ordinated by the Egyptian Red Crescent, the area is now operating as the logistics hub for all aid - including from the UK - destined for the tightly controlled crossing into Gaza. The area also houses a large hospital to support injured Palestinians, which the MPs visited.

The Committee heard concerns from multiple sources that Israel intends to press ahead with a full-scale offensive in Rafah, the area they had previously designated as the last ‘safe zone’ in Gaza. Leaflets telling civilians they have two weeks to leave have already been dropped. Well over half of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million are now sheltering in Rafah - which previously housed less than 300,000. Many of these people have been internally displaced multiple times, after following sequential Israeli instructions to move to ‘safe areas’. Rafah has now been subject to repeated aerial bombardment, inflicting further casualties and destroying more of the infrastructure needed for access and deployment of desperately needed food, water and medical aid.

Speaking on their return from Al-Arish, Chair of the Committee Sarah Champion MP said:  “Nothing that has been reported braces you for the true scale of the horror in Gaza. We’re simply not getting accurate information about the levels of destruction and brutality.

“Listening to seasoned humanitarians tell us that what they’ve witnessed in Gaza makes it the worse disaster they've ever seen really brought home the savagery befalling civilians. Aid workers repeatedly questioned why international law wasn’t being followed or upheld in relation to civilians, humanitarians and medics. 

“They also expressed a deep feeling of dread and inevitability of Israeli forces carrying out their threat to escalate the assault into Rafah. A senior aid worker described Rafah as water in the bottom of a glass with the pressure getting more and more intense. 

“We learned about the lawlessness in Gaza, with Hamas police being killed and civilians getting increasingly desperate. Personally I fear that unless something happens to stabilise the situation, the remaining UN support will withdraw leaving Palestinians utterly alone. 

“Politicians around the world need to demand an immediate end to the violence, full access for aid and a long term strategy to rebuild Gaza; both its infrastructure and its society.”

Since October 7^th the IDC has held two evidence hearings in Parliament with aid agencies working on the ground in Gaza, hearing shocking and horrifying evidence of the desperate and deteriorating humanitarian and healthcare situation there. The WHO estimates that less than one third of hospitals remain partially functioning and are often now staffed by volunteers.  

In response to questions from the Committee, the Foreign Secretary has sent a summary of UK operations to alleviate the medical emergency in Gaza.

The Foreign Secretary makes clear that the first priority is for Israel to “participate in and respect” the UN system for deconfliction of both static zones and the safe movement of humanitarian staff and goods. He also sets out the UK’s position and conditions for the ultimate goal of achieving a sustainable, permanent ceasefire – including the political, “credible and irreversible” pathway to a two-state solution. /ENDS 

Notes:

• The Committee is today publishing correspondence from Foreign Secretary David Cameron on the UK humanitarian response to the situation in Gaza

• The Committee has held two evidence hearings on Parliament on the humanitarian and healthcare situation in Gaza and has scheduled a further hearing with the World Health Organisation and World Food Programme next Tuesday 27 February 2024.

• Further relevant information can be found in the Committee’s work on the UK approach to atrocity prevention and to countries that host long-term refugees

• The Foreign Affairs Committee has also today published correspondence with the FCDO on the Rafah offensive and arms export controls to the region

• IDC Members on the visit received a newly published assessment by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Johns Hopkins University, of the projected healthcare and casualty situation in Gaza over the next six months, in scenarios with or without an immediate ceasefire and without or without the epidemic spread of diseases already taking hold in the unsanitary, crowded conditions. Its findings are stark:  

- In the absence of epidemics and with an immediate ceasefire; 6,550 excess deaths would occur in the next six months; that rises nine-fold to 58,260 with a continuation of the situation from last October to mid-January; and to 74,290 excess deaths in the case of an escalation.   

- With the emergence of disease epidemics, those expert projections rise to 11,580, 66,720, and 85,750 excess deaths respectively over the same period.   

- Even in the best-case immediate ceasefire scenario, thousands of excess deaths would continue to occur in the time it will take to improve water, sanitation and shelter conditions, reduce malnutrition, and restore functioning healthcare services in Gaza.   

- While the total number of estimated excess deaths from maternal and neonatal causes are relatively small, at 100-330 excess deaths, every loss of a mother has severe consequences for wider family health and wellbeing.   

- In 2022 in Gaza non-communicable diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease were the primary cause of death.  With the destruction of healthcare infrastructure and services impeding access to treatment and medications, the conflict has also caused an estimated 1,680-2,680 excess deaths from these conditions.