RFA ship Lyme Bay delivers first-of-its-kind UK shipment of life-saving aid for Gaza
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Lyme Bay has delivered the first UK-supplied maritime shipment of aid for Gaza.
The 87 tonnes of life-saving aid supplies, that included thermal blankets, shelter packs and medical supplies, were provided by the UK and Cyprus.
The shipment was delivered to Egypt from Cyprus by the RFA vessel.
The Egyptian Red Crescent is receiving the shipment from Port Said, after which it will be taken to Al Arish and then through Rafah and into Gaza for distribution by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
The aid shipment follows Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron's visit to Al Arish last month.
During his visit, he met representatives from the Egyptian Red Crescent Society, which is coordinating the relief effort at the Rafah crossing.
The Ministry of Defence said: "The Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary have made clear that Israel must increase the flow of aid into Gaza and facilitate the delivery of relief on the ground, including through negotiated humanitarian pauses.
"The UK will continue to explore other routes for aid deliveries, including the Cypriot initiative for a maritime corridor between Cyprus and Israel/OPTs [Occupied Palestinian Territories] and supporting the United Nations World Food Programme through the humanitarian land corridor from Jordan through Kerem Shalom."
Lord Cameron said: "The UK is committed to supporting the people of Gaza.
"We have already trebled our aid commitment to Palestinians this year and today's aid delivery - the first UK maritime shipment of aid for Gaza - via Port Said in Egypt contains almost 90 tonnes of vital supplies.
"Significantly more aid needs to reach Gaza to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people.
"The UK will continue to work with our partners in the region to open more aid routes into Gaza, including through the proposed maritime corridor between Cyprus and Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories."
'Worked tirelessly'
Task group commander, Commander Sam Stephens, said: "The UK Armed Forces has a proud history of providing humanitarian assistance right across the globe, and the Littoral Response Group South was rightly re-tasked to the Eastern Mediterranean to provide the UK Government with the capacity to deliver aid to Gaza.
"We've worked tirelessly to provide a full range of options to ministers as to how we can best help, which has today resulted in over 80 tonnes of lifesaving aid being delivered here in Egypt, bound for Gaza".
'A significant milestone'
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the delivery by RFA Lyme Bay was a "significant milestone".
RFA Lyme Bay's role has been to deliver troops, vehicles, stores and ammunition on fleet operations across the globe.
The ship helps the Royal Navy maintain the ongoing waves of an amphibious assault.
Mr Shapps said: "I recently visited the region to find the best way to get aid into Gaza and support those in desperate need. Today's maritime aid delivery, the first of its kind, is a significant milestone.
"RFA Lyme Bay has docked in Egypt with almost 90 tonnes of aid bound for civilians in Gaza.
"This includes shelters for winter, medical supplies and thermal blankets, all pre-screened in Cyprus.
"By testing new maritime routes, the UK is paving the way for other international donors to increase and accelerate aid deliveries."
The MOD added: "The UK has so far announced it will spend almost £60m in additional humanitarian funding in Gaza this financial year, trebling our existing annual budget to the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
"The most recent package of £30m funding, announced by the Foreign Secretary on his last visit to the region, has been allocated to trusted partners on the ground including UNRWA, UNICEF, WFP, the OCHA Pooled Fund and the British Red Cross to support the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies."
'A truly joint endeavour'
RFA Lyme Bay's Commanding Officer Captain Chris Clarke said: "For me, this is a great example of a truly joint endeavour".
"At the very top, we are bringing the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, along with the Ministry of Defence and our colleagues from the Ministry of Affairs in Cyrpus, down to the tactical level where we brought together the Royal Marines, the Royal Navy, the British Army and the civilians from the Royal Fleet Auxillary together on Lyme Bay to deliver nearly 90 tonnes of aid for the Gazan people."
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