The SDLP’s Claire Hanna MP has nominated Gaza healthcare workers for a Nobel Peace Prize to recognise their heroic efforts in the face of unimaginable humanitarian devastation in Gaza.
Ms Hanna had previously sponsored a motion in Parliament alongside MPs from Labour, Plaid Cymru, SNP and Alliance that called on the UK House of Commons to "encourage as many of those as possible who qualify to nominate [Gaza Health Workers] for the Nobel Peace Prize".
In November 2023 Claire Hanna MP and SDLP Leader Colum Eastwood MP both voted for a Westminster motion for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza conflict and continue to press the UK Government and international actors to bring an end to violence in the region.
Following the nomination, Claire Hanna MP said:
“As of the 1 January 2024, 374 health workers have been killed in Gaza, 150 healthcare workers have been detained or abducted and 102 ambulances have been bombed, the circumstances in which these healthcare workers are enduring is beyond horrific.
"Every day, healthcare workers are risking their lives for their fellow citizens without access to basic medical care such as anaesthetic or even sanitary products. The international community must step up their efforts to deliver an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian aid.
"The nomination of healthcare workers in Gaza for the Nobel Peace Prize will hopefully bring renewed attention to the conflict and force many within the international community to respond with agency and urgency."