The vessel, along with £9.7 million ($12 million) of pledged spending, will support the ongoing effort to set up a maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, which is expected to be operational in early May. The allocated funds will go toward aid deliveries, logistical expertise and equipment such as forklift trucks and storage units, according to a statement late Saturday.
The increased aid comes days after an Israeli army missile strike killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza, including three British nationals. The army dismissed two officers after the attacks, attributing the strike to “mistaken identification, errors in decision making, and an attack contrary to standard operating procedures.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is coming under mounting pressure to halt the sale of British arms to Israel. Three former supreme court justices said that the UK is breaching international law by providing weapons to Israel, while some Conservative politicians suggested they would also support suspending defense exports.
Sunak, who has adopted a tougher tone toward the UK ally in recent months, renewed calls on Saturday for an end to the conflict and a release of the hostages.
