The UK is sending a Royal Navy ship as part of a £9.7m aid package announced six months after the October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel.
The ship, which has not been named for security reasons, will carry essential aid to Gaza as Israel continues its military presence which has seen devastation brought to the region.
Conditions have become so poor that some agencies have warned there is a risk of famine striking the population if action isn’t taken soon. The Royal Navy vessel is part of a multi-faceted approach by the UK which includes equipment to support a humanitarian corridor and logistical expertise.
It comes weeks after the RAF dropped 10 tonnes of aid on Gaza and around a week after three British aid workers were killed when their convoy was attacked by the Israeli Defence Force.
Alongside the aid package, Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron warned of the potential for famine in Gaza and welcomed Israel’s recent changes to how much aid they are letting into the region.
He said: “The situation in Gaza is dire and the prospect of famine is real. We remain committed to getting aid to those who so desperately need it. Along with the US, Cyprus and other partners, we are setting up a new temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to get aid in as quickly and securely as possible.
“Land access remains crucial to deliver aid at the scale now required. The opening of Erez and the Port of Ashdod is hugely welcome and something the UK has long been calling for.
“Israel has also agreed to increase the number of aid trucks entering Gaza to a minimum of 500 a day. But we need to continue to explore all options, including by sea and air, to ease the desperate plight of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”
The aid package comes soon after Lord Cameron warned Israel that British support for the country was not unconditional following the deaths of British aid workers John Chapman, James Henderson, and James Kirby earlier this week.
His comments, published in the Sunday Times, condemn Israel with the former Prime Minister saying there was “no doubt where the blame lies” and warning: “This must never happen again.”
Lord Cameron’s warning and Britain’s £9.7m aid package have been published alongside a statement from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who recognised both Israel’s right to defend itself but said that it was time for the war to end.
Mr Sunak said: “Today marks six months since the terrorist outrage of October 7 – the most appalling attack in Israel’s history, the worst loss of Jewish life since the Second World War. Six months later, Israeli wounds are still unhealed.”
The Prime Minister added: “Families still mourn and hostages are still held by Hamas. We continue to stand by Israel’s right to defeat the threat from Hamas terrorists and defend their security. But the whole of the UK is shocked by the bloodshed, and appalled by the killing of brave British heroes who were bringing food to those in need.
“This terrible conflict must end. The hostages must be released. The aid – which we have been straining every sinew to deliver by land, air and sea – must be flooded in.
“The children of Gaza need a humanitarian pause immediately, leading to a long-term sustainable ceasefire. That is the fastest way to get hostages out and aid in. and to stop the fighting and loss of life.
“For the good of both Israelis and Palestinians – who all deserve to live in peace, dignity and security – that is what we will keep working to achieve.”
