London, England – British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps will travel to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories to push for humanitarian aid to be delivered faster to Gaza, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Shapps will also discuss how the UK can support the Palestinian Authority, the recovery of hostages, as well as efforts to prevent further escalation in the Middle East.
“We are working to find the best way to get aid and support to those in desperate need in the quickest and most direct route. That includes options by land, sea and air,” Shapps said.
Britain is considering sending military support vessel RFA Lyme Bay to provide medical and humanitarian aid in the Middle East, Shapps said earlier this week.
Shapps will meet the Interior Minister of the Palestinian Authority, General Ziad Hab Al-Reeh, while in Tel Aviv he will meet Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.
Shapps will also visit Kibbutz Kfar Aza in southern Israel which was attacked by Hamas on October 7 which killed around 1200 Israelis. So far, around 16,015 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s invasion of Gaza.