UK pledges £3 million in winter aid for Gaza

The UK government has announced a new package of support for families in Gaza, pledging up to £3 million to help address the worsening humanitarian crisis this winter.

The commitment comes as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed that more than 1,100 UK-funded tents have finally entered Gaza after months of delay, offering critical shelter to around 12,000 people.

Addressing MPs in the House of Commons, Cooper described the situation in Gaza as “dire,” with thousands of families lacking adequate shelter as winter weather intensifies.

“This weekend, after more than a year’s delay, we were finally able to get UK-funded tents into Gaza through Kerem Shalom, working with UNICEF,” Cooper said. “Those tents will provide critical shelter for 12,000 people. But more support is needed.”

To further aid the relief efforts, Cooper announced that the government will match, pound-for-pound, new donations made to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Middle East Appeal, adding up to £3 million in additional support.

However, she warned that significant UK-funded aid, including wheat supplies capable of feeding hundreds of thousands, is still being held in warehouses in Jordan due to continued restrictions at border crossings.

“We need all of the crossings opened,” Cooper emphasized, underscoring the urgent need to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza.

Labour MP Joe Morris expressed concern over reports that some tents were being prevented from entering the region. Cooper responded that while aid deliveries have increased, challenges remain in getting essential supplies to those in need.

Saleh Saeed, chief executive of the DEC, described the situation as heartbreaking, noting that winter rains have further exacerbated the suffering of families already living in difficult conditions. “The public’s generosity towards this appeal has been wonderful to see, and donations continue to provide a lifeline,” he said.

UNICEF’s special representative for Palestine, Jonathan Veitch, also highlighted the extreme hardships faced by children in Gaza, stating that “much more is needed.”

Meanwhile, both Israel and Hamas continue to accuse each other of violating the ceasefire agreement reached in October, complicating efforts to deliver aid and restore stability in the region.