I share the concerns that many people have about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and for those innocent Palestinian civilians who are caught up in Hamas’s war with Israel. Too many lives have already been lost, and the humanitarian crisis is growing
As I set out in my recent Observer article, Israel has a right to defend itself but this must be done in line with international humanitarian law. Every effort must be made to minimise the impact on ordinary Palestinians. While acknowledging that Hamas has enmeshed itself behind the civilian population of Gaza, the Prime Minister has called on and will continue to call on the Israeli Government to take every possible precaution to avoid harming civilians.
The rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza is extremely troubling.
The UK has long been a significant provider of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. During his recent visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Foreign Secretary announced new funding to tackle the growing humanitarian crisis. This £30 million in humanitarian aid will support trusted partners, including UN agencies on the ground, to deliver lifesaving aid to people in Gaza. It brings to £60 million the additional aid announced by the UK for Palestinian civilians since the crisis started in October.
On 25 October, an RAF flight touched down in Egypt, carrying a vital 21-ton shipment of UK aid. This aid package includes 76,800 wound care packs, 1,350 water filters, and 2,560 solar lights, all crucial resources intended to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis. In addition to these supplies, the UK has delivered a temporary, swiftly assembled warehouse and mechanical handling equipment, comprising two forklift trucks. These assets can be promptly deployed near the Rafah border crossing to swiftly respond to on-ground needs. The distribution of these supplies will be facilitated through the Egyptian Red Crescent, which has made specific requests to address the most urgent humanitarian requirements of the people in Gaza. It's noteworthy that each water filter and solar light provided is designed to support a family of five.
Further, the UK has deployed significant military support to the region to help facilitate the humanitarian response and mitigate escalation of the conflict.
Funding alone is not enough, and work is ongoing with international partners to increase the flow of aid into Gaza. While the opening of the Rafah border crossing is a major step forward, the UK has confirmed that it will continue to work with Egypt, Israel and other international partners to try and increase the flow of support.
I welcomed the recent pause in hostilities between Israel and Hamas, which allowed for an increased flow of vital aid into Gaza and saw the release of a number of hostages. Ministers have made clear that the pause that took place between 24 November and 1 December should not be a one-off, and should act as a confidence-building mechanism for future pauses.
This is a fast-moving situation, and I can assure you that I will continue to follow developments closely.