UK announces £88 million aid package for Palestinians
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians will receive healthcare, clean water and protection under a new £88 million aid package announced by the UK Government, reports BritPanorama.
The package will fund medical consultations, essential mental health care and rehabilitation for children who have sustained blast injuries. Further funding is dedicated to waste management alongside sanitation and hygiene services.
This initiative is part of the £127 million allocated to Palestine in the UK’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget for 2026/27.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband called on the Israeli government to lift its “unacceptable restrictions on Gaza”, explaining the package would deliver support to those desperately in need. The announcement comes amid a reset in diplomatic ties with Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, which had previously seen the UK ban goods produced in illegal West Bank settlements.
Both Israel and the US condemned the UK’s policy, with Israeli foreign minister Gideon Saar announcing retaliatory measures including the closure of the UK consulate in Jerusalem and entry bans for 11 MPs.
Mr Miliband emphasized, “It is vital that civilians in Gaza have unhindered access to aid. The UK is pledging a major new package of aid to provide much-needed healthcare support to those desperately in need. We urge the government of Israel to listen to our call to action and take steps to end its unacceptable restrictions on Gaza.”
