The Scottish Parliament has passed a motion recognising the State of Palestine, and calling on the Scottish and UK governments to immediately impose a package of boycotts, divestment and sanctions targeted at the State of Israel and at companies complicit in its military operations and its occupation of Palestine.
During a debate in Holyrood on 3rd September, First Minister John Swinney said:
“My condemnation of this Israeli Government’s actions is grounded in international law, human rights and a belief in the equal value of every human life. Many Jewish organisations and individuals have condemned the assault on Gaza. Their courage reminds us that to speak out against mass violence is not antisemitic; it is deeply human. In fact, to speak out is our moral and legal responsibility.
“The challenge for this Parliament, this Government, the United Kingdom Government and governments across the world is what action we should we take if we agree that we are witnessing an unfolding genocide… in the face of genocide there can be no business as usual.”
The First Minister made a series of announcements, including that awards of public money will be paused to defence companies whose products or services are provided to countries where there is plausible evidence of genocide being committed by that country, including Israel, and that relevant delivery bodies such as Scottish Enterprise would be instructed where possible to not provide support for trade between Scotland and Israel.
He also announced that SIDA member Kids Operating Room would be granted £400,000 to establish the Gaza HOPES Field Readiness Hub – a rapidly deployable hospital in Gaza to provide essential surgical, maternity and paediatric services. The UNOCHA led Humanitarian Fund for the Occupied Palestinian Territories will receive £600,000 to provide life-saving health services, food and nutrition assistance, emergency shelter, water and sanitation, protection services, education support and cash for families.
Commenting, SIDA’s Chief Executive, Frances Guy, said:
“This is a clear statement from the Scottish Parliament, with a broad – although not complete – cross-party consensus to recognise the State of Palestine and demand action to end starvation and slaughter in Gaza.
“As the First Minister stated, the International Court of Justice has made it plain there is a prima facie case of genocide in Gaza. He is right that none of us, including the Scottish Government, can ignore that.
“We welcome the continued funding the Scottish Government has provided to SIDA members to respond to the crisis, either through the Humanitarian Emergency Fund, or through direct grants such as that announced to Kids OR.
“Many SIDA members are providing support to people in Gaza, or who have fled from Gaza, either directly or through partners on the ground. They are also mobilising supporters across Scotland to demand more action from decision makers in support of peace and justice.”
Responses from SIDA Members
Other SIDA members have continued to respond to the crisis in Gaza, following the declaration of a “worst case scenario of famine unfolding in the Gaza Strip” by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification organisation.
The Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), echoed a statement released by the global Caritas Internationalis network, saying:
“Gazans have long endured a deliberate descent into starvation. This is not a tragic accident. It is the result of calculated choices. A population stripped of shelter, sustenance, and safety has been left to perish in full view of the world.
“This is not war. It is the systematic destruction of civilian life. The siege of Gaza has become a machinery of annihilation, sustained by impunity and the silence, or complicity, of powerful nations. Famine here is not a natural disaster, but the outcome of a deliberate strategy: blocking aid, bombing food convoys, destroying infrastructure, and denying basic needs.”
Oxfam’s Food Security and Livelihoods Coordinator, Mahmoud Alsaqqa, said:
“The famine in Gaza is entirely driven by Israel’s near-total blockade of food and vital aid – the horrifying consequence of Israel’s violence and its use of starvation as a weapon of war. This is what our staff and partners have been witnessing for months: people in the Gaza Strip being deliberately starved, relentlessly bombarded, and forcibly displaced – all part of Israel’s genocide.
“Mothers are now too malnourished to nurse their starving babies. People are forced to walk miles across treacherous terrain in search of food, only to be shot at militarized distribution centers. The elderly, under fire and too weak to flee, illustrate the collapse of the humanitarian system and repeated crimes against humanity.
“Other governments that could have done more to stop Israel are complicit in enabling genocide and war crimes through their silence, inaction, and continued supply of arms.
“This famine can be halted. Oxfam calls for an immediate ceasefire, the full lifting of the blockade, and the immediate delivery of large-scale humanitarian aid through all crossings, including those in the north.”
Naziha El Moussaoui, food security, nutrition and livelihoods advisor at the British Red Cross said:
“This is not just a crisis for today – it’s a crisis for generations to come. Malnutrition weakens the immune system, leaving people – especially the most vulnerable – unable to fight off disease and infection.
“The long-term effects will echo far into the future. Without immediate and sustained humanitarian assistance, we risk impacting not only this generation but the next. With chronic malnutrition comes longer-term health impacts which can be irreversible in children. We need a sustained flood of support – not just to save lives today, but to safeguard the future of entire communities.”
Taking action
There are a range of actions people in Scotland can take in support of SIDA member organisations calling for a swift and peaceful resolution in Gaza.
- Oxfam have launched a ‘Red Line for Gaza’ to call for more action by the UK Government.
- Islamic Relief are calling on the UK Government to end arms sales to Israel.
- Global Justice Now are asking supporters to write to the Government calling for trade sanctions.
- Christian Aid have produced a guide to writing to your local Member of Parliament.
Many SIDA members have open fundraising appeals to support humanitarian responses in Gaza and the surrounding region, while others are cooperating through the Disasters Emergency Committee.
Further Reading & Resources
Updates from UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East)
International Crisis Group analysis: The World’s Shame in Gaza
Save the Children: How to talk to children about war
Highland One World: Resource on Approaching the Palestine-Israel Conflict with Learners
We know that extensive exposure to human suffering on such a scale can be overwhelming. The Mental Health Foundation have produced these tips to look after your mental health during traumatic world events. If you are in need of support and would like to speak to someone, give the team at breathing space a call on 0800 83 85 87.
Image: The Palestinian flag is raised outside the Scottish Government’s offices at St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, on 4th September 2025 (The Scottish Government)