LONDON

Britain's shadow secretary of state for defense, MP John Healey, questioned the role of the UK armed forces in the Middle East, particularly in light of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza on Monday.

During a heated session in the House of Commons, he emphasized the extreme suffering of Palestinians, including starving children and families succumbing to famine and disease.

Highlighting the recent RAF airdrop of aid into Gaza, Healey pressed the government on the lack of sea shipments, querying why there has only been one such shipment in over six months.

He also demanded transparency on efforts to open up Ashdod ports for humanitarian purposes and expressed concerns over morale within the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).

"The agonies of the Palestinians in Gaza are extreme with children starving, families dying, and famine and disease taking hold. And humanitarian help must flood into Palestinian hands. So we ask why is there only one sea shipment of UK aid in more than six months?" he asked.

Healey referred to reports suggesting the possibility of UK troops being deployed on the ground in Gaza to deliver aid, calling for clarity on such plans and stressing the importance of parliamentary oversight in any deployment decision.

In response, Leo Docherty MP, minister of state at the Ministry of Defense, expressed the government's commitment to supporting stability and security in the region.

"Our aim is to support stability and security because that is right for the region. And because although the Middle East is thousands of miles away, it has a direct effect on our security and prosperity," he said.

While refraining from commenting on specific media reports, Docherty told the House that diplomatic efforts were underway to de-escalate the situation and secure a sustainable cease-fire.

"We are working urgently with our allies to de-escalate the situation and prevent further bloodshed and we are directing all our diplomatic efforts," he underlined.

Israel has waged a brutal offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.

Nearly 34,500 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 77,600 others injured in a deadly Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip amid mass destruction and severe shortages of necessities.

More than six months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins, pushing 85% of the enclave's population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.