Britain joins EU-led Gaza recovery initiative with new funding pledge for humanitarian efforts

Government says ceasefire has improved aid flows but warns humanitarian needs remain severe across the territory

The UK will provide £10 million ($12 million) to support early recovery efforts in Gaza and join a new EU-led international initiative aimed at coordinating funding and practical assistance as Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper calls for renewed momentum behind the international 20-point Gaza peace plan. The government said in a statement Monday the funding would go to the UN Horizon Fund to support a Palestinian-led, UN-coordinated approach to early recovery. The program will focus on water and sanitation, healthcare, education, housing, debris clearance and reducing the risks posed by unexploded ordnance. The UK will also join the EU-led Team Gaza Initiative, a coalition of European and international partners designed to mobilize political support, funding and practical assistance for Gaza’s recovery. The initiative aims to support a package worth €750 million. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that the plan risks being "completely de-railed" unless Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid and essential services are urgently lifted and greater international support is mobilized. According to the government, although aid entering Gaza has increased since the ceasefire, it remains below what is needed. It said food shortages persist, around 1.7 million people are living in overcrowded displacement sites, and there are no fully functioning hospitals in the territory. Cooper said: "Palestinians in Gaza need to be able to rebuild their lives and their communities. Yet the scale of destruction is devastating, and the pace of support despite all the promises made in the peace plan is still shockingly slow." She added: "The scale of continuing Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid and on basic shelter and healthcare support is deeply destructive and immoral." Cooper is also due to meet Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa to discuss support for Palestinian institutions, Gaza's early recovery and continued international coordination. The UK said it would continue to support Palestinian-led reconstruction and a two-state solution alongside efforts to strengthen Palestinian institutions and advance the peace plan. Last Thursday, incoming UK Prime Minister Burnham apologized for Labour’s initial response to Israel’s war on Gaza, promising a tougher approach toward the Israeli government when he becomes prime minister. Speaking to The Guardian, Burnham acknowledged concerns over Labour's handling of the Gaza conflict and said the party needed to “do better.” “I know many people feel that at the start of Israel’s military action in Gaza, my party didn’t get it right, and I am sorry about that. The response has too often not been good enough. We need to do better,” he told The Guardian. Since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, the Israeli army has killed at least 1,098 Palestinians and injured 3,535 others, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The Israeli army has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over 173,000 others since October 2023 in a deadly offensive that has caused widespread destruction, affecting about 90% of civilian infrastructure.