Press release

Foreign Secretary responds to Israeli changes to aid access

Lord Cameron has responded to changes announced by Israel to allow for more aid access into Gaza by opening Ashdod port for aid and the Erez checkpoint.

From:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon Lord Cameron
Published
5 April 2024
This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

In his statement, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said:

Israel has today committed to significant steps to increase the amount of aid getting to Gaza. This includes:

  1. Allowing the delivery of humanitarian aid through the Port of Ashdod and the Erez checkpoint.
  2. Increasing the total number of aid trucks to at least 500 a day.
  3. Increasing capacity through the Jordan land corridor to 100 trucks a day. 
  4. Extending the opening hours of the Kerem Shalom crossing.
  5. Approving more types of aid, including fuel to enable more bakeries to open and hospitals to function.
  6. Approving activation of the Nachal Oz water pipeline to northern Gaza once repairs are completed.

The UK has urged Israel to take these steps for a long time and they are welcome.

This morning, I spoke to the UN’s Gaza Humanitarian and Reconstruction Co-ordinator, Sigrid Kaag. We are resolved that the international community will work with Israel to see these vital changes fully implemented.

While these commitments represent significant progress, we must see further action to ensure more aid actually gets over the border.

I’m calling on Israel to make progress on the following additional action:

  1. A major change in the conduct of hostilities to protect civilians.
  2. Reform of Israel’s deconfliction mechanism to ensure the safety of aid workers.
  3. Progress on the UN’s minimal operating requirements, including more visas and driver approvals granted, as well as more trucks permitted to cross into Gaza.

The situation in Gaza is dire and the entire population faces the prospect of famine without urgent change.

The UK has more than trebled its aid commitment to the Occupied Palestinian Territories this year, and we’re working to get aid through these new humanitarian routes as soon as possible.

Ultimately, we need an immediate humanitarian pause to ramp up aid delivery, save lives and get hostages out.

Find out more about the UK government’s response to the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

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Updates to this page

Published 5 April 2024