UK pledges lifesaving aid for Gaza
Source: gov.uk (2025-07-20)

Tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza will receive additional humanitarian aid funded by the UK government.

- UK government announces new £60 million humanitarian aid package to support healthcare, food and water
- includes vital funding to treat patients at UK-Med field hospitals in Gaza
- aid package will help provide emergency food, shelter and support for over 2 million people
Tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza will receive additional humanitarian aid funded by the UK government.

In a statement to Parliament (https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/foreign-secretary-statement-on-the-middle-east-21-july-2025), the Foreign Secretary David Lammy outlined that food assistance programmes, water and sanitation services and maternal and children’s healthcare will be scaled up through this new £60 million funding.

This will include continued support to 2 field hospitals in Gaza run by UK-Med. UK-Med are a frontline medical organisation deployed to crises who have now treated over 500,000 Gazans over the course of the conflict. 24,000 of these were in the past fortnight alone, with UK-Med treating a range of medical conditions as well as injuries related to the conflict.

This announcement also includes £20 million in support for UNRWA’s essential services for Palestinian refugees. This funding will provide emergency food, shelter and other support for over 2 million people, as well support UNRWA’s wider work across the region. UNWRA’s work in Gaza ensures water provision reaches up to 600,000 people monthly across Gaza.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

UK aid has been saving lives and under the most appalling circumstances, it is saving lives today.

Today I am announcing extra humanitarian assistance in Gaza to support tens of thousands of civilians that are urgently in need this year. This includes supporting UK-Med to sustain the vital operations they perform right now in Gaza.

The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths – almost 1,000 civilians have been killed since May seeking aid. We continue to call for, work for, and vote for an immediate ceasefire and the release of the hostages at every possible opportunity. We will keep doing so until this war is over.

UK-Med CEO David Wightwick said:

I have never seen a crisis of this scale and severity, and it has only deteriorated in recent months.

UK government funding is vital in supporting UK-Med to deliver over 500,000 patient consultations in Gaza during this conflict.

I want to thank our 400-strong team on the ground for their determination, professionalism and tireless work to address the medical needs of Gazans in incredibly difficult circumstances.

This announcement is part of the £101 million of Official Development Assistance the UK has committed to the OPTs this financial year. It demonstrates the UK’s commitment to playing a leading role in alleviating Palestinian suffering and building security, in support of the government’s Plan for Change (https://www.gov.uk/missions).

The Foreign Secretary reflected on the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza in his statement and thanked medics and humanitarian workers for the work they are doing in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances.

He said the new aid system in Gaza – which has seen almost 900 people killed since May while seeking food and water – was creating further disorder for Hamas to exploit.

The Foreign Secretary reiterated his complete condemnation of the Israeli defence minister’s plan for the forcible displacement of Gaza’s entire population into Rafah, with the potential for deportation.

The UK also announced £7 million of support to strengthen governance in the OPTs, including supporting the Palestinian Authority’s delivery of their reform agenda.

The UK continues to push for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all hostages, a surge in aid and a path towards long-term peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians.

Background

this £60 million funding is part of the UK’s £101 million programme for the Occupied Palestinian Territories this year. Of this:
- £7.5 million will go to UK-Med to operate their 2 field hospitals
- £20 million for UNRWA to support their essential services for Palestinian refugees
- £7 million will go to strengthen governance, accountability and civic space in the OPTs, including supporting the PA’s delivery of their reform agenda
view the Foreign Secretary statement on the Middle East, 21 July 2025 (https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/foreign-secretary-statement-on-the-middle-east-21-july-2025)

view the joint statement on behalf of 26 partners: Occupied Palestinian Territories: joint statement, 21 July 2025 (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-on-the-occupied-palestinian-territories)

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