Gaza: Humanitarian Aid

(asked on 20th November 2023) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of aid supplied to Gaza; and what steps he is taking to ensure that aid is not utilised by Hamas.


Answered by
David Rutley Portrait
David Rutley
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 28th November 2023

The UK Government has recently announced £30 million of humanitarian funding to Gaza; and has sent more than 51 tonnes of emergency relief for civilians. This funding will support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and others to respond to critical food, water, health and shelter needs. The UNRWA is currently the only agency able to operate at scale in Gaza. This is in addition to the £27 million of bilateral funding for FY 23/24 to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs).

All FCDO partners in the OPTs operate with enhanced sensitivity requirements and additional safeguards to protect against the possibility of aid diversion. These safeguards include measures on verification and mapping of downstream partners, non-payment of local taxes and enhanced due diligence processes.

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