The UK and Jordan have air-dropped life-saving aid to a hospital
in northern Gaza.
The UK-funded consignment of aid, delivered by the Jordanian Air
Force, was dropped earlier today into the Tal Al-Hawa
Hospital in northern Gaza.
Four tonnes of vital supplies were provided in the air-drop,
including medicines, fuel, and food for hospital patients and
staff. The Tal al-Hawa Hospital, set up by the Jordanian
Armed Forces, is located in Gaza City and has treated thousands
of patients since the start of the crisis.
Foreign Secretary said:
We have worked closely with our Jordanian partners to get these
life-saving supplies directly to the Tal Al-Hawa Hospital in
northern Gaza.”
Thousands of patients will benefit and the fuel will enable this
vital hospital to continue its life saving work.
However, the situation in Gaza is desperate and significantly
more aid is needed – and fast. We are calling for an immediate
humanitarian pause to allow additional aid into Gaza as quickly
as possible and bring hostages home.
Earlier this week, the UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation to procure and
deliver £1 million worth of UK aid to Gaza, including the
critical medicine and fuel included in this flight.
Secretary-General of the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation
(JHCO), Dr Hussein Shabli, said:
We welcome this partnership with the UK to provide life-saving
aid to those who need it most in Gaza. We thank our UK partners
for working with us and we will continue to work with them on
getting aid into Gaza for as long as its needed.
The Jordanian Armed Forces flight departed earlier today from
King Abdullah II Air Base, with the aid being dispatched with
‘J-pad’ GPS trackers to ensure it reached the hospitals
safely. The Foreign Secretary’s Representative for
Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,
Mark Bryson-Richardson, was in Amman to finalise the details of
the airdrop.
The UK has trebled our aid commitment to the Occupied Palestinian
territories this financial year and we are doing everything we
can to get more aid in and open more crossings, including calling
for an immediate pause to get aid in and hostages out.
Humanitarian needs are particularly acute for people remaining in
northern Gaza. A report issued on 20
February by UNICEF and WFP noted that 1 in 6 children under two
years old in northern Gaza are acutely malnourished.
