UK Government will match first £2 million donated ‘pound for pound’
The Disaster Emergency Committee (DEC) launched their Gaza Crisis Appeal yesterday and Scotland’s Minister for External Affairs Humza Yousaf has encouraged Scots to donate what they can to help people affected by the conflict in the area.
The UK government also announced it will activate UK Aid Match for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal, matching the first £2 million donated pound for pound.
Over 400,000 people have fled their homes in Gaza and urgently need food, water, shelter and medical care.
The Scottish Government has already provided half a million pounds to help people in Gaza and given a commitment that Scottish hospitals will help treat those who need specialist care.
Mr Yousaf said: “The situation in Gaza is clearly causing a great deal of suffering for ordinary people in the area. People who have been forced to leave their homes urgently need daily essentials including food, water, shelter and medicine.
“Scots are well known for being a caring and generous nation and I’d urge people across the country to consider donating what they can afford to help those in Gaza. Every single donation, no matter how big or small, will help towards this international effort to provide supplies to those who are suffering and in need.
“The Scottish Government has already provided half a million pounds to help the humanitarian relief effort in Gaza and we are committed to ensuring people with injuries who need specialist treatment can access Scottish hospitals if that is best for them.
“Of course, what we need in Gaza is an immediate lasting end to the violence. Given the UN’s statement that there is a strong possibility international law has been violated, I once again encourage the UK Government to implement a complete suspension of arms sales to Israel until there has been an investigation into whether not UK arms have been used in any violation of international law.”
Donations to the DEC’s Gaza Crisis Appeal can be made at http://www.dec.org.uk/.
Further information on ways to donate is available from http://www.dec.org.uk/how-to-help/how-to-pay
The British government will activate UK Aid Match for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal, International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced yesterday.
The DEC will see the first £2 million of donations from members of the public aid matched, meaning that every £1 donated is matched by UK aid.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “Four weeks of violence have left people in Gaza in desperate need of food, shelter and medical supplies. The British people have shown immense generosity in situations like this and the UK Government will help that generosity go twice as far.
“For people wanting to help civilians in Gaza caught up in this crisis, giving now means every pound they donate will buy twice as many food parcels, provide twice as many blankets and help twice as many people to get through this crisis.”
The DEC appeal will provide immediate life-saving support to people affected by the crisis in Gaza.
The new £2 million commitment will take the UK government’s total support for the people of Gaza since the start of this crisis to £17 million. In addition to today’s announcement, since the beginning of the crisis Britain has released:
- a total of £6 million for the UNRWA’s Flash Appeal to pay for basics such as shelter and cooking equipment
- £3 million to the World Food Programme to provide emergency food for more than 300,000 people for one month
- £3 million for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide emergency healthcare and clean water and
- £3 million, which has been made available for clean water, emergency healthcare and protection of civilians through the Rapid Response Facility, which was activated on Saturday 2 August.
make donations at http://www.dec.org.uk/ or by texting the word DONATE to 70000