UK joins efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza via 'Amalthea'

Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, has told the House of Commons that along with Cyprus, the US, the UAE and others, the UK will help deliver humanitarian aid by sea to a new temporary US military pier in Gaza, via a maritime corridor from Cyprus.

In the House of Commons, several questions were asked about the aid provided to Gaza.

Mitchell replied that "along with Cyprus, the US, the UAE and others, the UK will help deliver humanitarian aid by sea to a new temporary US military pier in Gaza, via a maritime corridor from Cyprus."

He also noted that this is possible as in January “we worked with our Cypriot partners to pre-screen 87 tonnes of aid” that was delivered by the Royal Navy to the Egyptian Red Cross.

Minister Mitchell also called on Israel to fully open Ashdod port for aid delivery.

In the meantime, in the House of Lords, Liberal Democrat Baroness Janke asked whether the UK Government “have instructed Israel not to land its F-35s at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus until hostilities in Gaza have concluded.”

Defence Minister Earl of Minto replied that “no instruction has been provided because there are no standing agreements in place to use RAF Akrotiri.”

He added that “permission for state-operated aircraft to utilize UK air bases is dependent on the nature and purpose of their activity, and each request is considered on a case-by-case basis.”