Today’s support, an allocation of £2 million to UNICEF,
will help ensure that the two million Palestinians in
Gaza have access to safe water to drink and cook with.
There is a dire shortage of water in Gaza, where just 4
per cent of water in the strip is fit for human
consumption and many families rely on buying dirty
water from unregulated vendors.
This UK aid package will help:
- install over 1,000 roof water tanks to help
families store clean water
- provide over 3,000 communal water drums so that
households can collect clean water
- provide chlorine to treat water in 280 wells and 38
water treatment plants.
Minister Burt, who made the announcement in a
Westminster Hall debate in Parliament earlier today,
said:
With only 4 per cent of the water in Gaza fit for
human consumption, people are left with no choice but
to drink dirty water and risk falling victim to
deadly water borne diseases.
Today’s UK aid package will help provide the 2
million Palestinians in Gaza with access to safe,
clean water and sanitation so they can feed and wash
themselves and their children without fear of falling
seriously ill.
But aid alone isn’t enough and the rest of the
international community must do all it can to help
ease the people of Gaza’s suffering. The UK is
committed to helping achieve a peaceful two-state
solution and we call on parties to urgently redouble
their efforts to bring this suffering to an end.
In addition to today’s package of support, UK aid in
Gaza is already helping to repair water and wastewater
pipes, provide chlorine for 70 wells and 20
desalination plants. It will also provide 1,300 water
storage tanks and give 15,000 of the most vulnerable
families essential hygiene items, such as soap,
sanitary towels and shampoo as well as water treatment
kits.
On a recent visit to Gaza Minister Burt also announced
£1.5 million for the International Committee of the Red
Cross to keep hospitals open and functioning following
the recent surge in violence.
Notes to editors
The UK has allocated £2 million to UNICEF from the DFID
OPTs 2018/19 budget.
In November 2017 the UK provided £1.9 million to UNICEF
through the 2017 Gaza Crisis Urgent Appeal from the
DFID OPTs 2017/18 budget.
