On October 12, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new aid package worth about 27 million USD to provide essential services for clean water, sanitation and health in the Gaza Strip. The statement came as Starmer arrived in Egypt to attend a summit of world leaders to find a solution to the conflict.
The UK government said the funding would be transferred through prestigious international organizations such as the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP) and the Norwegian Council for Referees. The goal of the aid package is to reach people facing the risk of food shortages, malnutrition and epidemics after a long period of conflict.
The move comes as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been maintained for the third day. This is part of the first phase of a larger deal to completely end the two-year war. The current ceasefire period is expected to facilitate the safe and more effective implementation of humanitarian relief activities.
In addition to the financial aid package, London has also announced that it will host a 3-day summit on Gaza reconstruction. This event is expected to gather representatives of international governments, the private sector and major development financial institutions, including the European Bank for reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank. The conference's goal is to mobilize resources and coordinate international efforts to rebuild devastated infrastructure and restore Gaza's economy.
According to information from the UK government, in this fiscal year, the total amount of humanitarian aid that the country has provided to Palestine has reached 98.8 million USD.
The new aid was announced just a month after the UK officially recognized the State of Palestine, an important foreign policy decision marking a change in the UK's stance on the Israel-Plestine conflict.
