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UK Middle East minister criticises Israel after claiming Gaza aid flows ‘simply not enough’
Stephen Doughty MP makes remarks after two-day visit to Egypt
Middle East Minister Stephen Doughty has called on Israel to ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid into Gaza, stating that current aid flows “are simply not enough.”
Doughty made the remarks after a two-day visit to Egypt, where he met with regional leaders and inspected humanitarian support facilities at Al Arish near the Gaza border. “This UK Government has been at the forefront of humanitarian aid to Gaza and diplomatic efforts to get more aid in, but current aid flows are simply not enough,” he said. “Our government restarted support to UNRWA and is working with partners like the Red Crescent, but blocks must be removed.”
He stressed Egypt’s “vital” role in facilitating aid deliveries and thanked Egyptian partners for their support, but insisted that “it is imperative that Israel ensures rapid, safe and unimpeded aid access, if we are to avert further suffering in Gaza.”
Doughty acknowledged public concern in the UK over the crisis, saying, “I am acutely aware of how appalled people across Britain have been at the death and suffering in Gaza. That is why I made this visit, and why I am calling again on Israel to allow aid to reach those in need.”
The minister underlined the UK’s close cooperation with Egypt “on practical steps to facilitate the flow of aid and on diplomatic efforts to end the conflict and bring peace, stability and security to Gaza.”
According to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the visit highlighted Egypt’s central role in the regional humanitarian response and the UK’s commitment to supporting aid delivery, advancing the 20-point plan for Gaza, and avoiding a return to full-scale conflict.
At Al Arish, Doughty observed UK-funded aid operations, including over £2 million in support for the Egyptian Red Crescent’s work delivering life-saving assistance to Gaza.
During the visit, Doughty also met with Foreign Minister Dr Badr Abdelatty, Deputy Foreign Ministers Mohamed Abu Bakr and Nabil Habashi, and Arab League Secretary General Nabil Fahmy to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to regional stability and UK interests.
He also met Dr Ali Shaath, Chief Commissioner of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), to stress the importance of NCAG’s interim role in Gaza’s recovery.
Additionally, the Minister signed a new UK-Egypt partnership on migration—the first such agreement between the two countries—aimed at speeding up the return of Egyptian nationals with no right to remain in the UK by up to 90%.
This follows the recent £9 million expansion of UK funding to help North African countries manage migration pressures linked to regional conflict.
The visit, the FCDO said, demonstrates how the UK-Egypt relationship is delivering on key priorities including security, migration, humanitarian support, and economic resilience for the British people.
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