Britain has announced new humanitarian funding for Gaza, even as Israel signals plans to slash vital aid deliveries into the north of the territory.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the UK would provide targeted support for women and newborns, calling on Israel to allow a “surge in aid” at a time when famine and relentless bombardment are pushing Gaza’s civilians to breaking point.
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains catastrophic,” Lammy warned. “Women and girls are bearing the brunt of the suffering. The UK is doing all we can, but for aid to have an impact, Israel must allow it in and ensure it is delivered safely.”
Israel Signals Aid Restrictions
Israeli officials confirmed over the weekend that humanitarian access to northern Gaza will soon be slowed or halted as the army ramps up operations against Hamas. A senior official told the Associated Press that airdrops over Gaza City would stop in the coming days, while aid truck numbers would be reduced to prepare for another mass evacuation south.
The decision follows Israel’s declaration of Gaza City as a combat zone, ending daytime pauses that had allowed limited humanitarian convoys to enter. The UN has repeatedly stressed that current aid deliveries, well below the 600 daily trucks required, are nowhere near enough to meet the population’s needs.
On the ground, the desperation is clear. “We left because the area became unliveable,” said Fadi Al-Daour, who fled Gaza City with his family. “No one is searching, and there are no journalists to film. There is nothing.”
Mass Evacuation Fears
Humanitarian agencies have sounded the alarm over the scale of Israel’s new offensive. Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, warned that any forced evacuation of hundreds of thousands from Gaza City would trigger “a massive population movement that no area in Gaza can absorb,” citing extreme shortages of food, water, shelter and medical care.
“It’s impossible that a mass evacuation of Gaza City can be done in a safe and dignified way,” she added.
UK Aid: Midwives, Mothers, and Medical Care
Against this backdrop, the UK is pledging £3 million through the UN’s reproductive health agency, UNFPA, to bolster midwifery services. With around 130 women giving birth in Gaza every day, Lammy said the new funding is designed to make childbirth safer under near-impossible conditions.
The Foreign Office is also partnering with Oxfam GB to distribute menstrual hygiene products tailored for women and girls with limited access to clean water.
“This funding will help improve midwifery provisions and make giving birth safer,” Lammy said. “But it can only have maximum impact if Israel allows it. Protection of civilians, healthcare staff, and infrastructure is critical.”
A Crisis Within a War
The humanitarian crunch comes amid ongoing military escalation. On Friday, Israel confirmed the recovery of the body of Idan Shtivi, a young man kidnapped from the Nova music festival during Hamas’s October 7 attack. His death leaves 48 hostages still in Gaza, of whom Israel believes 20 remain alive.
Lammy said the UK’s position was clear: “We need an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, a surge in aid, and a framework to deliver long-term peace.”
