Sunday 24 / November / 2024
London: UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron has announced that the UK will provide a further Pound 30 million in humanitarian aid which will support trusted partners, including United Nations agencies on the ground to deliver lifesaving aid to people in Gaza.
The new announcement by Cameron has taken the additional aid announced by the UK for Palestinians since the crisis began in October of Pound 60 million, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in the press release. In the press release, Cameron called on all parties to continue working for the release of each hostage and added that a pause will allow access to life-saving aid to the people of Gaza.
David Cameron said, "We are hopeful that today will see the release of hostages, and I am urging all parties to continue to work towards the release of every hostage. A pause will also allow access to life-saving aid to the people of Gaza."
"I am proud that a fourth UK flight carrying critical supplies landed in Egypt today, and I can announce new Pound 30 million of funding which will be spent on vital aid such as shelter and medical provisions," he added.
David Cameron called it important to protect people from harm. He said, "It is vital to protect civilians from harm, and we are urgently looking at all avenues to get aid into Gaza, including land, maritime and air routes."
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in the press release noted that today's additional funding comes as the fourth UK aircraft carrying humanitarian aid landed in Egypt's Al Arish for onward transfer to Gaza.
It further said that the Royal Air Force (RAF) aircraft carried 23 tonnes of humanitarian aid, including 4,500 blankets and 4,500 sleeping mats for distribution by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said in the press release.
UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said, "The RAF continues to deliver on the UK's commitment to helping those in need by operating flights into the region to provide urgent humanitarian support which will save civilian lives."
He further said, "The UK is driving international efforts to support the humanitarian response in Gaza, working closely alongside partners and allies to de-escalate the situation."
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron on Thursday arrived in Israel for an official visit and met Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel President Isaac Herzog. He called for greater access to lifesaving support including medical supplies and fuel.
David Cameron urged all parties to make progress on the agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Qatar and Egypt, to allow the release of a number of hostages and a pause in the fighting and ensure the agreement is adhered to in full.
"We hope to get our hostages out. It's not without its challenges. But we have to, we hope to get this first tranche out. And then we're committed to getting everyone out," Netanyahu told Cameron.
Netanyahu further said that Israel will then "continue with our war aims, namely to eradicate Hamas because Hamas has already promised that they will do this again and again and again. They are a genocidal terrorist cult."
"It's as though 50,000 Americans were slaughtered in a single day and 10,000 were held hostage, including a nine-month-old baby. He can't walk, he can't talk, he's a hostage. What kind of people do this? The answer is these are not people; these are monsters. These monsters have to go. They'll go. We'll pursue the battle until that goal is achieved, and we give a different future for Gaza and for us," he said.
Meanwhile, Cameron said he wanted to come to Israel in person and go to the sites of the country and go to Kibbutz Be'eri to see just the true nature of the horrific attacks that Israel faced.
He said: "I think it's very important to do that and see that. And, you know, we stand with the people of Israel in sympathy for what you have gone through. I think that was important."
On Thursday morning, the UK Foreign Secretary visited Kibbutz Be'eri, one of the communities affected by the October 7 terror attack on Israel.
"This morning, together with @elicoh1, I visited Kibbutz Be'eri, one of the communities affected by the appalling terror attack Israel suffered on 7 October. I wanted to come here to see it for myself; I have heard and seen things I will never forget," Cameron wrote on 'X'.
He said: "Today is also a day where we hope to see progress on the humanitarian pause. This is a crucial opportunity to get hostages out and aid into Gaza, to help Palestinian civilians who are facing a growing humanitarian crisis."
Earlier, the UK Foreign Secretary welcomed the hostage deal between Israel and Hamas and urged all parties to ensure that the agreement is delivered in full.
Calling it a "crucial step", Cameron said that the pause provides an important opportunity to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza by making greater volumes of food, fuel and other life-saving aid reach the conflict-hit region.
"This agreement is a crucial step towards providing relief to the families of the hostages and addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza," Cameron said in a statement.
"I urge all parties to ensure the agreement is delivered in full. Of course, we want to see all hostages released immediately and families affected by the horrors of the October 7th terror attack reunited," he added.
