UK aid has left Cyprus and will be part of the first delivery to
the temporary pier on the Gaza coast.
Nearly 100 tonnes of UK aid comprising 8,400 shelter coverage
kits – temporary shelters made up of plastic sheeting – are the
first part of a £2 million package of UK aid to be delivered from
Cyprus. The aid will be distributed within Gaza as soon as
feasible.
The pier, which has been built by the US Navy and Army, will
initially facilitate the delivery of an estimated 90 truckloads
of international aid into Gaza each day, and scale to up to 150
truckloads a day once fully operational.
Prime Minister said:
The UK has been working around the clock with our allies and
partners to ensure more aid gets into Gaza via all possible
routes - land, air and sea. We are leading international efforts
with the US and Cyprus to establish a maritime aid corridor.
Today's first shipment of British aid from Cyprus to the
temporary pier off Gaza is an important moment in increasing this
flow.
But we know that more is required, particularly via land, which
is why alongside intensive work to get hostages out of Gaza we
will continue efforts to unlock more routes to get vital aid in –
helping people in desperate need.
Foreign Secretary said:
It's essential that we get vital aid to the people of Gaza by all
possible routes. We're working with the US, Cyprus and other
allies and partners to do just that and I'm proud that the UK
will be part of the first delivery of aid to the new
pier.
This pier will play a vital role in getting aid to those who need
it in Gaza, but it must be accompanied by an increase in aid
delivered through land routes. Israel's commitments to increase
access are welcome but we need to see more aid making it over the
borders and further action – fully opening Ashdod port for aid
deliveries; more land crossings, open for longer; and better
deconfliction measures. Only with these in place can we alleviate
the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The UK has been central to the international effort to establish
a maritime aid corridor. It is committing £9.7 million to provide
aid, including the initial 8,400 coverage kits, as well as five
forklift trucks, 900 family tents, a further 2,000 coverage kits,
9,200 hygiene kits, and help with coordinating logistics in
Cyprus. The Ministry of Defence is also providing accommodation
on board RFA Cardigan Bay for US military personnel constructing
the pier.
The opening of the maritime corridor is not a replacement for aid
being delivered through land routes, which remain the quickest
and most effective way of getting much-needed aid into Gaza.
We continue to urge Israel to meet its commitment to allow at
least 500 aid trucks to cross into Gaza through land crossings
and open as many routes as possible, including Ashdod. As a fully
functioning port, Ashdod's capacity to receive aid is much larger
than will ever be feasible through the maritime pier.
The UK is also doing everything possible to get more aid into
Gaza by land and air. We trebled our humanitarian funding to the
OPTs last financial year, delivering more than £100 million of
vital medical, shelter, nutrition and water/sanitation
support.
To date the British Royal Air Force has airdropped more than 100
tonnes of life-saving aid, including ready-to-eat meals, water,
rice and flour directly into Gaza.
