Cameron pushes for more aid into Gaza as UK sends food parcels

Each parcel can meet half of the daily calorie needs of a family of five for 15 days

A boy carries a bag of flour after humanitarian aid was distributed in Gaza City on March 17. AFP

The UK is sending food parcels for 275,000 Palestinians trapped in Gaza, with Foreign Secretary David Cameron urging Israel to let more aid into the war-ravaged enclave.

In a bid to avert an imminent famine in the Gaza Strip, the World Food Programme is distributing more than 2,000 tonnes of food funded by the UK.

But Lord Cameron said on Tuesday that “sustained humanitarian access” to Gaza’s beleaguered population was needed.

A report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) – a partnership of more than a dozen governments and UN aid agencies that determines the severity of food crises – has warned that “famine is imminent”.

“It’s crucial that we keep the flow of aid moving into Gaza to end the suffering, and that’s why this latest delivery of aid by WFP is so vitally important," Lord Cameron said.

“The IPC’s report warns of imminent famine. We need sustained humanitarian access by road to get more aid in.

“We continue to push Israel to allow more crossings to open and for longer, and for health care, water and sanitation to be restored.”

Lord Cameron wants Israel to increase capacity to safely distribute aid in Gaza, including by opening a land crossing in the north and issuing more visas to UN staff to deliver supplies.

The latest delivery was organised by Jordan, which has played a key role in supporting the UK’s humanitarian response to the crisis.

The delivery of UK-funded aid includes fortified wheat flour for use in bakeries and food parcels that will be used to feed more than 275,000 people in Gaza.

Each parcel is designed for a family of five and consists of canned vegetables, meat and fish, and date bars.

The parcel can meet half of the daily calorie needs of the family for 15 days.