Britain to help US construct ‘emergency’ pier to get aid into Gaza, Lord Cameron says

Sign up for the View from Westminster e mail for knowledgeable evaluation straight to your inbox

Get our free View from Westminster e mail

Britain will help the US construct a “temporary pier” in Gaza to permit tons of of additional each day truckloads of aid into the strip, Lord Cameron has introduced.

The overseas secretary stated individuals in Gaza are in “desperate humanitarian need” and the UK will be part of with the US and companions to open “a maritime corridor to deliver aid directly”.

“We continue to urge Israel to allow more trucks into Gaza as the fastest way to get aid to those who need it,” he added.

It comes a day after Lord Cameron referred to as for rather more to be carried out to help get aid to Gaza as he warned of a looming humanitarian disaster.

Speaking throughout a go to to Berlin the previous PM stated: “If we want to avoid famine, disease and help people in Gaza we need 500 [aid] trucks a day.”

Lord Cameron additionally urged Hamas to settle for a hostage deal on supply after its delegation left talks in Cairo with out a deal for a Gaza ceasefire.

Asked whether or not the UK is doing sufficient to strain Israel to permit aid into Gaza, the Foreign Secretary instructed a press convention in Berlin: “I think the Israelis have to really understand that this is on the brink of being a desperate situation in terms of disease and famine, and so the time for doing more is now.

“We additionally want to ensure that similtaneously saying that, we are saying to Hamas that they need to launch these hostages…

“In all the thoughts we have about the aid getting into Gaza, and I would argue no-one is doing more than Britain and Germany to pile that pressure on, let’s remember that there’s a group of people that could stop this conflict right now. And that is Hamas.”

Joe Biden is ordering US forces to conduct an “emergency” mission that will see them construct a seaport on the Gaza coast to allow a new influx of humanitarian aid into the territory as Israel’s war on Hamas enters its sixth month.

He confirmed the decision in his State of the Union speech overnight, with a senior official in his administration saying it will “get life-saving humanitarian aid into Gaza to alleviate the suffering of innocent Palestinians who have nothing to do with Hamas”.

Overnight, Mr Biden said: “I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the Gaza coast that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters.

“No U.S. boots will be on the ground. This temporary pier would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day. But Israel must also do its part.

“Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure that humanitarian workers aren’t caught in the cross fire. To the leadership of Israel I say this.

“Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip. Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be a priority.

“As we look to the future, the only real solution is a two-state solution. I say this as a lifelong supporter of Israel and the only American president to visit Israel in wartime. There is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and democracy.

“There is no other path that guarantees Palestinians can live with peace and dignity.”

British aid packages have previously been air-dropped into Gaza in a joint operation with the Jordanian military, and the Government has continued to work on finding alternative routes for supplies to reach the territory.

The UK Government has also called for a “humanitarian pause” within the combating to allow aid to get into Gaza and hostages held by Hamas to be launched.

Last week, the Commons International Development Committee warned {that a} famine in Gaza can be unavoidable with out adjustments to permit extra aid to get into the area.

The cross-party committee stated any ceasefire of lower than 30 days wouldn’t be sufficient to get adequate meals into Gaza, whereas US vice-president Kamala Harris has prompt a six-week ceasefire is inside attain.