- The Prime Minister will attend the signing ceremony of the
Gaza Peace Plan, marking a historic milestone for the region
after two years of conflict and suffering
- He is expected to commit the UK Government to playing a
leading role to accelerate Gaza's reconstruction, working with
international partners
- A £20 million humanitarian aid package will deliver essential
water, sanitation, and hygiene services to tens of thousands of
civilians across Gaza
The Prime Minister will today attend a landmark peace summit in
Egypt, marking a historic turning point for the region following
two years of conflict and bloodshed in Gaza.
To address the immediate humanitarian issues facing the civilian
population of Gaza, the Prime Minister will announce £20 million
of UK aid to ensure water, sanitation and hygiene services reach
tens of thousands of civilians across Gaza.
The funding, delivered through UNICEF, the World Food Programme
(WFP) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), will help those
facing famine, malnutrition and disease.
The Prime Minister is also expected to set out that the UK will
play a leading role in the next phase of the peace plan, as back
home the UK hosts a three-day conference on Gaza's recovery and
reconstruction.
The UK Wilton Park summit will bring together a coalition of
representatives from businesses, civil society and governments,
to convene crucial planning and coordination efforts for postwar
Gaza.
Discussions will also cover efforts to support the Palestinian
Authority's own transformation and reform programme to ensure it
can support Gaza's recovery.
Reconstruction will be Palestinian-led, with absolutely no role
for Hamas in its future governance.
The conference will be attended by a range of international
partners including Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the
Palestinian Authority, as well as private sector and
international development finance and financiers, including the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World
Bank.
The Prime Minister is expected to say:
“We stand determined to seize this opportunity to deliver a
lasting peace, and a stable, secure future for the whole
region.
“Today is the first, crucial phase of ending this war and now we
must deliver the second phase, in full.
“The UK will support the next stage of talks to ensure the full
implementation of the peace plan, so that people on both sides
can rebuild their lives in safety and security.”
At the summit, attendees will also discuss how best to mobilise
private sector resources to address the scale of reconstruction
required, after more than two years of conflict have damaged or
destroyed 92% of homes.
Foreign Secretary said:
“The UK has worked intensively with international partners in
recent months to create the momentum that has led to President
Trump's peace initiative, and to support the ceasefire that is
now in place, but we now need to work with the same intensity and
urgency to develop a plan for Gaza's recovery and reconstruction.
“Gaza has been completely devasted. The ceasefire gives us the
opportunity not just to urgently scale up humanitarian efforts
but also to look to the future of Gaza's recovery. Rubble must be
cleared, infrastructure repaired, healthcare restored and homes
rebuilt.
“UK support delivered through UNICEF, the WFP and the NRC will
help towards immediate humanitarian needs. Long-term recovery
must be Palestinian-led but broad public and private investment
will be needed to deliver the scale of reconstruction
necessary.
“The UK will also play a crucial part in that process, convening
different parties as we are doing today with Egypt and bringing
in expertise, experience and investment from the City of London
to support reconstruction.”
The Foreign Secretary will continue diplomatic efforts this week
to support the implementation of the US-led peace initiative,
including meeting with HRH Crown Prince Al Hussein of Jordan in
London.
The UK is working to ensure that the ceasefire is maintained,
that all remaining hostages are released, that humanitarian aid
is delivered at the pace and scale required, and that pathway is
established for a just and lasting peace for Israelis and
Palestinians alike.
Background:
The £20 million support forms part of the UK's broader £116
million aid commitment to the Palestinian people this year,
including £74 million already allocated for life-saving
assistance such as food and shelter in response to the ongoing
crisis in Gaza.
It includes £3.5m for the Norwegian Refugee Council, £7m for WFP
to provide emergency food assistance to people in Gaza and £9.7m
of funding will go to UNICEF for their vital operations in Gaza.
The UK has given £74m in humanitarian support to Palestine this
financial year.
