Amman, Nov 3 (Petra) –– British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Monday called for increased humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip as a key step towards finding a genuine path to peace in the region.
In a press release by the British Embassy in Amman, Cooper said essential UK aid, including food and shelter supplies, is ready and waiting in warehouses to go into Gaza. Humanitarian support is desperately needed and the people of Gaza cannot afford to wait, she added.
She spoke of an urgent need to open more crossings and lift restrictions on aid access to enable the United Nations and NGOs to intensify life-saving humanitarian efforts, within the framework of the US-led peace plan.
During her visit to Jordan, the Foreign Secretary inspected a warehouse of British aid ready for entry into the Strip, noting Jordan's pivotal role Jordan as a key hub for coordinating and distributing humanitarian aid in the region.
Cooper announced £6 million in new British funding through the UN to help provide maternity and sexual health care for women in conflicts zones, including Gaza, through support for mobile health and midwifery teams in Gaza.
She also announced £1 million in training for Palestinian security forces in the West Bankto build their capacity to maintain security in a future Palestinian state.
"Three weeks on from the ceasefire, there has been an increase in the level of aid entering Gaza, however many vital items and agencies are still covered by restrictions, the scale of need is desperate and a further substantial increase in aid is needed," she said.
Cooper said that in addition to food aid, there is an urgent need for shelter and emergency medical care, especially for pregnant women, adding that "there's no time to lose in delivering relief and making meaningful progress towards a lasting peace." The UK Foreign Secretary affirmed her country's commitment to working with Jordan, regional partners, and the international community to support Gaza's reconstruction efforts and achieve lasting peace in the Middle East.
//Petra//SS
