Ruth Cadbury writes to Foreign Secretary over Gaza aid

Image above: Ruth Cadbury speaking in the House of Commons

“Innocent Palestinian civilians are not to blame for the actions of Hamas”

Brentford and Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury has written to the Foreign Secretary James Cleverly urging him to ensure vital aid can reach the civilian population in Gaza.

Ruth wrote it was important to ensure that aid such as fuel, food and medical supplies can reach the civilian population. In her letter she specifically called for the Government to increase the amount of aid reaching Gaza, to appoint a UK wide coordinator for aid and to deploy UK medical and support teams to Gaza.

She also wrote about the impact of the war on the civilian population, especially on the 50,000 pregnant women in Gaza and the large number of children trapped in the region.

The MP, who is Labour’s Shadow Minister for Prisons, Parole and Probation, is a Quaker for whom pacifism is a core belief, but in line with the Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer’s stance on the war between Israel and Hamas she stopped short of calling for a ceasefire:

‘‘It has been heart-breaking to watch the awful scenes from Gaza and the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in front of our eyes every hour, with many injured and killed. Hospitals are running out of fuel, vulnerable patients are unable to get medicine and we are seeing hundreds of thousands of people being displaced from their homes.

“We need to see humanitarian corridors open up so that more aid can enter Gaza and so that people are able to safely access much needed support. While it is welcome that some trucks have been able to enter Gaza and a few civilians have been able to cross the border into Egypt, it is clear that much more access through the Raffa crossing is needed as a matter of urgency.

“Innocent Palestinian civilians are not to blame for the actions of Hamas . There is no justification for attacks on civilians and they should not be targeted by military action. Israel must follow international law in full and Hamas must release all the hostages as a matter of urgency, and must be condemned for their attacks on Israeli civilians.

“I know from the hundreds of messages I have received from people across our borough just how worried and concerned people are about the attacks on civilians. It will be a particularly hard time for those who have friends and family who are trapped in Gaza.

“I want to reassure people locally that I will continue to urge the Government to do more to ensure that aid can reach civilians in Gaza.’’