The UK has announced a fresh £8.5 million aid package for Gaza, just as Israel reveals controversial plans to tighten its grip on the region.
Development minister Baroness Jenny Chapman said the funding would “help address urgent need” in Gaza, but only if Israel allowed the territory to be “flooded with aid.”
She stressed: “It is unacceptable that so much aid is waiting at the border – the UK is ready to provide more through our partners, and we demand that the government of Israel allows more aid in safely and securely.”
“The insufficient amount of supplies getting through is causing appalling and chaotic scenes as desperate civilians try to access tiny amounts of aid,” she added.
The money will be channelled through the UN’s Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and is part of a £101 million UK commitment to the Occupied Palestinian Territories this year.
OCHA has raised the alarm over widespread hunger among Gaza’s 2.1 million residents, compounded by a sweltering heatwave and severe shortages of clean water. It says aid efforts face “significant impediments and other delays” at border crossings.
The UK’s announcement coincides with mounting criticism of Israel’s stated aim to take over Gaza City. Foreign Secretary David Lammy joined ministers from Australia, Italy, Germany and New Zealand in condemning the move, warning it could breach international law.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the objectives included “the demilitarisation of the Gaza Strip”, “Israeli security control in the Gaza Strip” and “the establishment of an alternative civil administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority”.
In their joint statement, the foreign ministers insisted: “Any attempts at annexation or of settlement extension violate international law” and reaffirmed their backing for a “negotiated two-state solution” to ensure peace, security and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer branded Israel’s plans “wrong” and reiterated his call for “a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas and a negotiated solution.”
A UN Security Council meeting originally set for Saturday to address Israel’s proposal has been pushed to Sunday at 3pm UK time. Diplomats are expected to debate the legality and consequences of Israel’s plans, as well as the urgent humanitarian situation on the ground.
In Gaza, the human cost is mounting, aid is stalled at borders, and the world’s patience is running thin. The UK’s increased funding may be a lifeline, but only if it can reach those who need it most.
