The Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP

Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

July 31st 2018

Dear Alistair,

I am sure you will share my concern about the illegal detention of 22 humanitarian volunteers who have been taken from international waters by the Israeli navy. They include a British citizen and Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Swee Ang. Their boat, the Al Awda, is part of a Freedom Flotilla and was carrying €13,000 of urgently needed medical supplies (including gauze) for over-stretched health services in Gaza. As you know, Gaza is under siege and access by sea is one of the only options for delivering this kind of humanitarian assistance.

I call on the British Government to take all necessary measures to ensure that the Israeli Government:

- Ensure the well-being and immediate release of Dr Swee Ang and all those who were on board the Al Awda

- Immediately release the Al Awda and allow it and its crew to sail it, with all of its medical supplies, to the port of Gaza

- End the illegal inhumane blockade of the two million Palestinian people of Gaza.

I also hope you will take the necessary steps to ensure that a second boat Freedom Flotilla boat, ‘Freedom’, also sailing to Gaza and due to arrive within the next day or two, will be allowed safe passage. On board will be another British citizen, Richard Sudan, a journalist.

I look forward to your urgent response.

Yours sincerely,