A Bradford MP has called for more to be done to solve the humanitarian crisis in Palestine.

Bradford West MP Marsha Singh has met former Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss the situation.

He attended the meeting at Westminster as a member of the International Development Committee.

Since leaving office Mr Blair has assumed the role of Middle East Envoy for America, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia and has paid several visits to middle eastern countries and the occupied Palestinian territories.

He was in London to discuss plans to assist economic development for the Palestinian people.

Mr Singh said: "Tony Blair had a valuable contribution to make as the envoy. His role is to try to help Palestinian development.

"He said the situation in Gaza is terrible but that he was working very hard to get road blocks removed."

The Gaza region of the West Bank has been under Israeli siege since last summer when militant group Hamas took over the territory, and fuel, electricity, water, food and medical supplies have been severely disrupted.

Mr Singh said: "Tony Blair's take is that he understands what's happening. The Israeli mindset is on security and while rockets continue to be fired no Israeli politician will give an inch.

"What is required is to build up the capacity of the legitimate Palestinian Authority and to work with it, but while Hamas is still firing rockets on the ground in Gaza we can't work with them.

"The evidence we have seen is taken from the head of the UN in the Gaza region and the situation is dreadful."

Another issue in the Palestinian territories is the separation or security fence, which was built in breach of UN legislation.

"The wall wasn't mentioned specifically but there are hundreds of checkpoints and Tony Blair is working to try to remove the strategic ones," said Mr Singh.

"The wall itself is illegal, as is the occupation. There is double standard in that there is an expectation of the Palestinian Authority to uphold law domestically and internationally but when it comes to Israel and international law a blind eye seems to be turned.

"The US does have to move on this issue. There are still efforts being made and there is a conference in Berlin coming up which may help. The situation is that we either sit back and say this is terrible or we do something."