Following the delivery of substantial aid, the UK enhances support with a fully equipped field hospital to address the urgent medical needs in Gaza

In a significant boost to humanitarian efforts in Gaza, the UK has dispatched a complete field hospital to the region, coming on the heels of a substantial 150-tonne aid delivery. This initiative, funded by UK Aid and implemented by the medical NGO UK-Med, is designed to offer critical medical services to the Gazan population amidst an escalating humanitarian crisis.

The field hospital, which embarked from Manchester on March 5th, is en route to the Middle East with capabilities to be fully operational within 48 hours of its arrival. It is outfitted with a comprehensive range of medical facilities, including a pharmacy, triage area, major injuries and resuscitation unit, and a maternity care tent, poised to treat more than 100 patients daily.

This deployment is part of the UK’s broader commitment to the occupied Palestinian territories, with Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron announcing an additional £10 million in aid. This contribution brings the UK’s total aid to the region for the current financial year to over £100 million. Lord Cameron emphasized the dire circumstances faced by Gazans, stating, “Too many people in Gaza are suffering. Our largest aid delivery, combined with a new UK-funded field hospital, will save lives.”

The situation in Gaza remains grim, with an estimated 3.1 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and over half a million at risk of famine. The UK’s response aims to mitigate some of the severe challenges faced by those living in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In addition to the latest aid deliveries, the UK has been actively engaging with international partners to facilitate humanitarian access to Gaza. Lord Cameron has urged Israel to lift restrictions on aid and to restore essential services like electricity, water, and telecommunications to the region. Moreover, the UK is working to operationalize a maritime aid corridor from Cyprus to supplement land deliveries, which remain the most effective means of getting aid into Gaza at the required scale.

The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with hopes that the UK’s contributions and efforts to coordinate aid delivery will provide some relief to the people of Gaza amid ongoing conflict and restrictions.