London, United Kingdom

Britain has announced an additional £19 million ($24 mn) in humanitarian support for Gaza. International Development Minister Anneliese Dodds revealed the funding on Monday (Dec 2).

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While leaving for a pivotal aid conference in Cairo aimed at tackling the spiralling humanitarian disaster, Dodds called for Israel to give greater access.

Gaza humanitarian crisis

Calling on Israel to "immediately act to ensure unimpeded aid access to Gaza," Dodd said, "Gazans are in desperate need of food, and shelter with the onset of winter".

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Also read | Gaza aid crisis deepens: UN suspends shipments via key Gaza-Israel crossing after loot by armed gangs

She emphasised the importance of collective action at the Cairo summit, describing it as "an opportunity to get leading voices in one room and put forward real-world solutions to the humanitarian crisis".

Aid allocation

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The newly pledged funds, as per AFP, will be distributed among key UN agencies, with 12 million pounds (over $15 million) earmarked for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The remaining seven million pounds (over $8.8 million) will support the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

This comes as aid organisations continue to accuse Israel of preventing trucks from entering Gaza in large numbers, allowing only a fraction of necessary supplies into Gaza. 

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On Sunday (Dec 1) UNRWA announced on Sunday that it had halted aid deliveries through the Kerem Shalom crossing because of safety concerns, labelling conditions "impossible." Aid groups have accused Israel of obstructing adequate relief efforts. 

With this new contribution, the UK’s total humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territories in 2023 reaches £99 million.

Devastating toll in Gaza

Dodds's visit to Cairo marks the start of a three-day regional mission, which will include stops in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Her trip comes against the backdrop of a devastating humanitarian crisis in the wake of Gaza war.  

Israel's retaliatory attacks to Hamas' October 7 attack have killed at least 44,429 people in Gaza, according to statistics from the Hamas-run health ministry. The Palestinian militant group's October attack resulted in 1,207 deaths, most of them civilians, according to Israeli figures.   

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos, and videos.