Senior politicians have written to the UK Foreign Office after it emerged that Jersey Overseas Aid is struggling to support humanitarian activity in Gaza – as the publicly-funded agency “can’t have confidence” that aid is getting through the Israeli blockade.
External Relations Minister Ian Gorst provided the update during a hearing of the Economic and International Affairs Scrutiny Panel yesterday.
According to the United Nations, “limited” amounts of aid have been making it into Gaza since May 19 following an 11-week blockade in which Israeli authorities blocked-off food, fuel and medicine supplies.
They’ve made a decision to give further aid, but they can’t do it at this point because they can’t have confidence that that aid is getting through
External Relations Minister Ian Gorst
Deputy Gorst said that the JOA was “well regarded” by the UN’s Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
“They have given to date something like a million pounds to support humanitarian activity in Gaza – some of that has gone to those who would provide the aid and they’re informed that it’s not been able to get through, so it’s waiting to access Gaza,” he continued.
“They’ve made a decision to give further aid, but they can’t do it at this point because they can’t have confidence that that aid is getting through.”
The Minister explained that, in light of that decision, both he and International Development Minister Carolyn Labey had written to the UK Foreign Office, seeking support in ensuring “that aid gets into Gaza and that there is a channel of aid into Gaza that doesn’t put at risk Palestinian individuals”.
Deputy Gorst also acknowledged the UK’s decision to sanction two Israeli ministers, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
“Once that legal instrument is made, those sanctions will automatically apply here in Jersey,” he added.