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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| British MPs granted Gaza access | British MPs granted Gaza access |
| (about 21 hours later) | |
| A cross-party delegation of British MPs has been allowed into Gaza to assess the effects of the recent Israeli military offensive. | A cross-party delegation of British MPs has been allowed into Gaza to assess the effects of the recent Israeli military offensive. |
| Members of the Britain-Palestine All Party Parliamentary Group were granted entry by the Israeli military. | |
| They hope to spend the afternoon being taken around sites damaged during Israeli military action. | |
| Israel said its 22-day operation was launched in response to militants firing rockets at its towns from Gaza. | |
| About 1,300 Palestinians are understood to have died in the conflict, while 13 Israelis died. | |
| The MPs say they want to speak directly to people affected and hope to visit international aid operations, including UN-run sites. | The MPs say they want to speak directly to people affected and hope to visit international aid operations, including UN-run sites. |
| They plan to stay there until at least Tuesday. | They plan to stay there until at least Tuesday. |
| As the UK delegation arrived in the region, hopes were dashed that a formal truce could soon be announced between Israel and Hamas, after both sides announced separate ceasefires on 18 January. | As the UK delegation arrived in the region, hopes were dashed that a formal truce could soon be announced between Israel and Hamas, after both sides announced separate ceasefires on 18 January. |
| The Israeli government announced that a captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, would have to be released before such a deal was struck, not as part of a subsequent prisoner swap. | The Israeli government announced that a captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, would have to be released before such a deal was struck, not as part of a subsequent prisoner swap. |
| The parliamentary group's chairman Richard Burden, the Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield, is leading the six-strong team. | The parliamentary group's chairman Richard Burden, the Labour MP for Birmingham Northfield, is leading the six-strong team. |
| 'Grim' situation | 'Grim' situation |
| The MPs want to take witness accounts of what happened during the incursion as well as visiting UK-funded reconstruction projects. | The MPs want to take witness accounts of what happened during the incursion as well as visiting UK-funded reconstruction projects. |
| The danger is that people will forget as it goes off of our TV screens. But the families are still living in very difficult circumstances Jasmine WhitbreadSave the Children | The danger is that people will forget as it goes off of our TV screens. But the families are still living in very difficult circumstances Jasmine WhitbreadSave the Children |
| Mr Burden's was one of the loudest voices calling for a ceasefire during the conflict. | Mr Burden's was one of the loudest voices calling for a ceasefire during the conflict. |
| He later tabled a Commons motion - signed by more than 170 MPs - criticising the BBC and Sky News for refusing to broadcast an appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee for funds to provide aid in Gaza. | He later tabled a Commons motion - signed by more than 170 MPs - criticising the BBC and Sky News for refusing to broadcast an appeal by the Disasters Emergency Committee for funds to provide aid in Gaza. |
| The MPs' visit has been welcomed by the charity Save the Children. | The MPs' visit has been welcomed by the charity Save the Children. |
| Chief executive Jasmine Whitbread told the BBC the humanitarian situation was "grim". | Chief executive Jasmine Whitbread told the BBC the humanitarian situation was "grim". |
| "We think that up to 100,000 people have been displaced. Over 90% of the population is dependent on food aid, and it'll be shocking for them I'm sure," she said. | "We think that up to 100,000 people have been displaced. Over 90% of the population is dependent on food aid, and it'll be shocking for them I'm sure," she said. |
| "The danger is that people will forget as it goes off of our TV screens. But the families are still living in very difficult circumstances. So I think it helps to keep the attention on this." | "The danger is that people will forget as it goes off of our TV screens. But the families are still living in very difficult circumstances. So I think it helps to keep the attention on this." |
| This weekend, a convoy of more than 100 vehicles left the UK for Gaza, where aid worth £1m, including ambulances and a fire engine, will be delivered. | This weekend, a convoy of more than 100 vehicles left the UK for Gaza, where aid worth £1m, including ambulances and a fire engine, will be delivered. |
| It was organised by the Viva Palestina umbrella group and supported by Muslim organisations, as well as the Stop the War Coalition. | It was organised by the Viva Palestina umbrella group and supported by Muslim organisations, as well as the Stop the War Coalition. |