Britain said has delivered aid to Gaza via a temporary floating pier installed by the United States.
The Foreign Office said 8,400 shelter coverage kits – temporary shelters made up of plastic sheeting – have arrived in Gaza, alongside aid from the US and UAE. More aid, including 2,000 additional coverage kits, 900 tents, 5 forklift trucks and 9,200 hygiene kits, will follow in the coming weeks.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:
"UK aid is now being delivered to people through the temporary pier off Gaza. This is the culmination of a herculean joint international effort, and I pay tribute to our armed forces who alongside our partners have played a central role delivering this much needed support.
More aid will follow in the coming weeks, but we know the maritime route is not the only answer. We need to see more land routes open, including via the Rafah crossing, to ensure much more aid gets safely to civilians in desperate need of help."
Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron said:
"This first delivery of UK aid through the Cyprus Maritime Corridor is a major milestone in the international community’s efforts to maximise aid going into Gaza. The UK has played a central role in this and we’re already working on getting our next shipment into Gaza soon as possible.
But maritime is just one part of the bigger picture. Land routes remain the most effective means of getting aid into Gaza at the scale needed. Gazans are at risk of famine and in desperate need of supplies – Israel must ensure land routes are open and that aid gets safely to where it is needed."