Hamas is acting outside any “international norm”, the Middle East minister has told MPs as he confirmed no aid organisation had yet been able to reach the hostages who remain in Gaza.
Hamish Falconer told the Commons on Tuesday: “Ensuring the release of all hostages including British national Emily Damari and three other hostages with strong UK links remains a top priority for this Government.
“We support efforts of negotiators and call on the parties to return to negotiations.
“We continue to work alongside allies and partners in the region towards hostage releases. Negotiations remain the best chance to get hostages, cruelly detained by Hamas, home to their loved ones. I relayed these points to the Israeli deputy foreign minister yesterday.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel speaking in the House of Commons, 19 April 2022 (Twitter)
Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel told the Commons she had met with Ms Damari’s mother last week and said “it’s obvious that she and so many other hostage families are going through the most unimaginable suffering”.
She asked Mr Falconer whether any aid organisations have had humanitarian access to the hostages “and if not, what kind of pressure is being exerted on these agencies”.
Hamish Falconer speaking in the Commons chamber
The minister replied: “Regrettably no organisation has had access to the hostages. We continue to call for access for ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) and other appropriate NGOs in the usual way.
“Let us be clear: Hamas hold these hostages, they are behaving abominably, outwith any international norm.
“They aren’t abiding by any convention that you could possibly think of.
“We will continue to press them to ensure that British nationals get the access that they require, but this is very regrettable for the whole House that we are in this position.”
