Rishi Sunak hails UK Army’s Herculean efforts to deliver aid to Gaza

London: Aid has been successfully delivered to the Gaza shore for the war-torn Palestinian territory on Friday as part of the first delivery using a US-built temporary pier, the British government said as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak hailed the “Herculean” effort by the country’s armed forces.

The first of 8,400 shelter coverage kits – or temporary shelters made up of plastic sheeting – have arrived in Gaza, alongside aid from the US and UAE.

This is the first consignment of UK aid to be delivered through the Cyprus maritime corridor, following screening at Larnaca port.

More aid, including 2,000 additional coverage kits, 900 tents, five forklift trucks and 9,200 hygiene kits, will follow in the coming weeks, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said.

“UK aid is now being delivered to people through the temporary pier off Gaza. This is the culmination of a Herculean joint international effort, and I pay tribute to our armed forces who alongside our partners have played a central role delivering this much needed support,” said Sunak.

“More aid will follow in the coming weeks, but we know the maritime route is not the only answer. We need to see more land routes open, including via the Rafah crossing, to ensure much more aid gets safely to civilians in desperate need of help,” he said.

The Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) pier has been built by the US Navy and Army and was anchored to the shore on Thursday. It is expected to initially facilitate the delivery of 90 truckloads of international aid into Gaza each day, reaching up to 150 truckloads once fully operational.

“This first delivery of UK aid through the Cyprus Maritime Corridor is a major milestone in the international community’s efforts to maximise aid going into Gaza. The UK has played a central role in this and we’re already working on getting our next shipment into Gaza soon as possible,” said UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

“But maritime is just one part of the bigger picture. Land routes remain the most effective means of getting aid into Gaza at the scale needed. Gazans are at risk of famine and in desperate need of supplies – Israel must ensure land routes are open and that aid gets safely to where it is needed,” he said.

The UK says it has committed GBP 9.7 million to support the initiative, contributing 3,600 shelter coverage kits, five forklift trucks, 900 family tents, 9,200 hygiene kits, and logistics support in Cyprus. The UK Ministry of Defence is also providing accommodation on board RFA Cardigan Bay for US military personnel constructing and operating the pier.

“The newly operational pier off the coast of Gaza will enable truckloads of humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians in dire need. The UK continues to play a key role in this Herculean international effort – supporting logistics coordination in Cyprus, deploying RFA Cardigan Bay to help US personnel constructing and operating the pier and providing UK aid for delivery,” said UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps.

“We expect the first shipment to provide enough provisions to feed 11,000 people for a month,” he added.

The FCDO stressed that Britain is clear that the corridor is not a replacement for land routes, which remain the most effective way of getting aid into Gaza. It continues to call on Israel to meet its commitment to allow at least 500 aid trucks into Gaza through land crossings and open as many routes as possible.