Delegates gathered in Cairo on Monday for a humanitarian conference focused on Gaza, as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas persists. — AFP
Britain announced an additional £19 million ($24 million) in humanitarian aid for Gaza, according to the international development minister on Monday, urging Israel to enhance access to the region ahead of a crucial conference addressing the conflict.
"Gazans are in dire need of food and shelter as winter approaches," stated Anneliese Dodds, the minister, in a release as she embarked on a three-day visit to the area, which includes attending an international conference in Cairo on Monday concerning Gaza's aid requirements.
"The Cairo conference will serve as a platform to bring together key voices and propose practical solutions to the humanitarian crisis," she added.
"Israel must act immediately to ensure unrestricted aid access to Gaza." Aid organizations have accused Israel of limiting the number of trucks entering Gaza, thereby exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn region.
The new UK funding will be allocated as follows: £12 million to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP), and £7 million to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), according to the statement.
UNRWA announced on Sunday that it had suspended aid deliveries through the Kerem Shalom crossing between Israel and Gaza due to safety concerns, stating that the situation had become "untenable."
Britain has pledged a total of £99 million in humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territories this year, the government noted.
Following her stop in Cairo, Dodds is scheduled to visit the Palestinian territories and Israel.
Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulted in the deaths of 1,207 people on the Israeli side, predominantly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures, which includes hostages killed in captivity.
Israel's military response has led to the deaths of at least 44,429 in Gaza, the majority of whom were civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry, which the UN deems reliable.
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