Gaza: Israel
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of the potential violations of international humanitarian law that have been assessed by the Government in relation to Israel’s actions in Gaza involved (a) F-35 jets and (b) 2000lb bombs.
Answered by Mr Hamish Falconer
On 2 September 2024 we suspended export licences to Israel for use in military operations in Gaza, following a review into Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) which concluded there was a clear risk that some UK exports might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of IHL. It was necessary to exclude exports to the F-35 programme from the suspension, as previously set out to Parliament. This is due to the F-35 programme's broader strategic role in North Atlantic Treaty Organization and wider implications for international peace and security.
Our ongoing IHL assessments continue to raise concerns about possible breaches of IHL in the areas of humanitarian access and in the treatment of detainees. The lack of sufficient verifiable evidence means that we have not been able to reach a determination regarding Israel's IHL compliance in the conduct of hostilities. Our assessment findings give cause for concern about Israel's commitment to IHL generally, including in the conduct of hostilities.
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