Delivered to the Commons on 5 January 2026 by the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Hamish Falconer MP, the government set out updates on Gaza, Iran, Yemen and Syria, and confirmed an internal review of due diligence on high‑profile consular cases. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) published the transcript on 6 January.
On Gaza, the Minister said humanitarian need remains severe despite the ceasefire, citing half a million people struggling to access food and 100,000 in catastrophic conditions. He argued the ‘Peace Plan’ depends on unimpeded UN and NGO operations and condemned Israel’s decision to bar 37 international organisations, warning the plan cannot function if NGOs are excluded. The UK joined nine partners over the recess to press for sustained humanitarian access and open crossings.
He highlighted that commercial consignments are currently clearing faster than humanitarian cargo, with UK‑funded tents and shelter supplies held at Gaza’s borders while families face winter floods and sewage exposure. Ministers said the UK would continue to push for predictable NGO access and clear procedures at crossings.
The government said £116 million has been allocated this financial year for humanitarian and other aid for Palestinians, spanning healthcare, food, clean water and sanitation. The Minister pointed to UK‑Med’s scale‑up, stating that around 800,000 patients have been treated, and set this within the UK’s decision to recognise the State of Palestine on 21 September 2025 and the opening of a Palestinian embassy in London on 5 January 2026.
For operational agencies, the immediate constraint is Israel’s new registration regime requiring detailed staff lists from international NGOs. Aid organisations and several governments argue the rules pose data‑protection and staff‑safety risks and could force suspensions of essential services if licences are not restored. The UK’s joint message with partners called for sustained NGO access and increased aid flows in line with international humanitarian law.
Turning to Iran, the Minister referenced protests now in their ninth day following the rial’s sharp depreciation and urged protection of fundamental freedoms, including access to information and communications. Independent tallies reported by international media point to at least two dozen deaths and more than a thousand arrests since demonstrations began on 28 December.
On individual cases, Craig and Lindsay Foreman-detained in Iran and charged with espionage-remain a UK priority. The Minister said the Foreign Secretary raised their case with Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi on 19 December; the government continues to provide consular support and press for due process, in contact with the family and Iranian authorities.
He also addressed the case of Alaa Abd El‑Fattah, a British citizen since 2021, released from detention in September and reunited with his family in the UK on 26 December. Ministers condemned historic social‑media posts that surfaced after his return and confirmed that the FCDO’s Permanent Under‑Secretary has been asked to review due‑diligence systems for high‑profile consular and human‑rights cases, with an update to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
On Yemen, the Minister welcomed calls by Yemen’s president for dialogue in the south and Saudi Arabia’s decision to host a conference in Riyadh, noting the UAE’s public statements backing de‑escalation. Alongside diplomacy, the government cited UN assessments showing 18.1 million people facing acute food insecurity and said the UK is maintaining a £139 million humanitarian commitment this year and remains a leading donor to the current response.
The Minister said Syria’s government has joined the Global Coalition Against Daesh and underlined that a stable Syria supports UK security objectives. On 3 January, the Ministry of Defence reported a joint UK–France strike on an underground ISIS site north of Palmyra, using Paveway IV guided bombs against access tunnels-part of ongoing efforts to prevent any resurgence.
The Gaza position was set in the context of the UN Security Council’s 18 November 2025 vote to implement a 20‑point peace plan providing for an international stabilisation force and expanded humanitarian access. Ministers signalled continued UK support for this framework and for predictable aid flows and ceasefire monitoring.
For NGOs and delivery partners, today’s update points to continuity of UK funding to Palestinian and Yemeni programmes, a contested operating environment in Gaza as licensing rules take effect, heightened protest‑related risk in Iran, and ongoing counter‑ISIS activity in Syria. The FCDO intends to set out lessons from the consular due‑diligence review to MPs, with implications for future case handling.