Letter sent to the Foreign Secretary – 7.3.25

Dear Foreign Secretary, 

We write as a collective of humanitarian and non-governmental organisations regarding the role of the Foreign Secretary’s Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which we understand is currently vacant. As Israeli authorities enforce yet another total blockade of aid to Gaza—an act of collective punishment and a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law—we urge you to reaffirm the Representative’s mandate in full and fill the post as a matter of urgency. 

Since his appointment, the former Representative engaged directly with our organisations, as well as senior officials within the Government of Israel, to advocate for increased aid access to Gaza and the easing of operational challenges. 

Given the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank, driven by Israel’s policies and practices, there has never been a more critical time for the Foreign Secretary’s Representative for Humanitarian Affairs to carry out their mandate. This role is essential to ensuring the effective delivery of aid and, crucially, promoting the upholding of international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians, both of which have been gravely undermined by Israel’s actions, creating an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. 

The Representative must pay due attention and take meaningful steps towards both advancing effective delivery of aid, and crucially, promoting adherence to IHL and protection of civilians. This should include monitoring and reporting on violations of international humanitarian law, and working to ensure that systematic breaches of international humanitarian law—such as the obstruction of aid, attacks on civilians, and forced displacement—are met with concrete measures to pursue meaningful accountability to prevent their reoccurrence, including through supporting and upholding the decisions and recommendations of key international accountability mechanisms. 

We call on you to urgently appoint the Foreign Secretary’s Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and reaffirm their mandate to include meaningful action to uphold international humanitarian law and protect civilians. At a time when the entire humanitarian architecture and principled operating space are under greater attack from Israeli authorities than ever before, the UK must be a strong champion for principled humanitarian access and action. 

Failure to act now will not only deepen the humanitarian catastrophe but also undermine the UK’s commitment to upholding international law and protecting civilians.  

In light of the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and the absence of the Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, we reiterate our request for an urgent meeting with you at the earliest possible opportunity to discuss this matter and the challenges our organisations face in working in Gaza and the West Bank.  

Sincerely, 

Signed By:  

1. Medical Aid for Palestinians 
2. Humanity & Inclusion UK
3. Caabu (Council for Arab-British Understanding) 
4. Welfare Association
5. Save the Children UK 
6. Action for Humanity 
7. Christian Aid 
8. CARE International UK 
9. Islamic Relief UK 
10. Muslim Aid
11. ABCD Bethlehem
12. Interpal
13. War on Want