PM announces an additional £20 million aid package aimed at providing essential water, sanitation and hygiene services to tens of thousands of people
Prime Minister Keir Starmer attended the signing ceremony of the Gaza Peace Plan in Egypt, marking what officials describe as a historic milestone for the Middle East after two years of conflict and human suffering. During the summit, he committed the United Kingdom to a leading role in Gaza’s reconstruction and long-term recovery, pledging new humanitarian assistance and international coordination to help rebuild the war-torn territory.
To address the immediate humanitarian crisis facing Gaza’s civilians, the Prime Minister announced an additional £20 million aid package aimed at providing essential water, sanitation and hygiene services to tens of thousands of people. The funding, to be delivered through UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), is designed to assist those grappling with famine, malnutrition and the spread of disease after years of devastation.
Officials said the new funding forms part of the UK’s wider £116 million support to the Palestinian people this year, including £74 million already allocated for emergency assistance such as food and shelter. Of the new £20 million package, £9.7 million will go to UNICEF for critical operations, £7 million to the WFP for emergency food delivery, and £3.5 million to the NRC to assist with relief and protection efforts.
The Prime Minister also announced that Britain will host a major international conference on Gaza’s reconstruction later this week, as part of its pledge to help implement the second phase of the peace plan. The three-day Wilton Park summit will bring together representatives from governments, civil society, business and development finance institutions to plan and coordinate Gaza’s recovery.
According to Downing Street, discussions at the UK-hosted summit will include support for the Palestinian Authority’s own reform and transformation programme, ensuring it is prepared to oversee Gaza’s rebuilding efforts. The government stressed that reconstruction would be Palestinian-led, with absolutely no role for Hamas in its future governance.
Delegates from Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority are expected to attend, alongside representatives from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank and private sector investors. The summit will focus on mobilising resources for large-scale rebuilding projects after more than two years of conflict have left 92 per cent of homes in Gaza either damaged or destroyed.
In his speech at the peace summit, the Prime Minister said, “We stand determined to seize this opportunity to deliver a lasting peace, and a stable, secure future for the whole region. Today is the first, crucial phase of ending this war and now we must deliver the second phase, in full. The UK will support the next stage of talks to ensure the full implementation of the peace plan, so that people on both sides can rebuild their lives in safety and security.”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who has been closely involved in diplomatic efforts leading up to the summit, said the UK had worked intensively with international partners in recent months to create the momentum behind the peace initiative. She said Britain had also played a key role in securing the ceasefire that paved the way for the current talks. “The UK has worked intensively with international partners in recent months to create the momentum that has led to President Trump’s peace initiative, and to support the ceasefire that is now in place, but we now need to work with the same intensity and urgency to develop a plan for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction. Gaza has been completely devastated. The ceasefire gives us the opportunity not just to urgently scale up humanitarian efforts but also to look to the future of Gaza’s recovery. Rubble must be cleared, infrastructure repaired, healthcare restored and homes rebuilt,” she said
Cooper added that while long-term recovery must be led by Palestinians, substantial public and private investment would be essential to deliver reconstruction on the necessary scale. “UK support delivered through UNICEF, the WFP and the NRC will help towards immediate humanitarian needs. Long-term recovery must be Palestinian-led but broad public and private investment will be needed to deliver the scale of reconstruction necessary. The UK will also play a crucial part in that process, convening different parties as we are doing today with Egypt and bringing in expertise, experience and investment from the City of London to support reconstruction.”
The Foreign Secretary is expected to continue her diplomatic engagements this week, including a meeting with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein of Jordan in London, to support the implementation of the US-led peace initiative.
Officials said the UK remains focused on ensuring the ceasefire holds, that all remaining hostages are released, and that humanitarian aid reaches Gaza at the scale and pace required. The government is also working with regional and international partners to lay down a clear pathway towards a just and lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Officials have framed the UK’s leadership at the Egyptian summit as both a diplomatic and humanitarian commitment — one that underlines the country’s intention to help stabilise Gaza and ensure that the fragile peace achieved through negotiation can translate into reconstruction and hope for civilians on the ground.
As the Prime Minister attends what many see as a defining moment for regional peace, his government’s promise of renewed engagement and financial support signals a bid to place Britain at the forefront of Gaza’s recovery — and, ultimately, the rebuilding of lives shattered by war.
