The British Prime Minister expresses his government’s readiness to participate in the reconstruction of Gaza
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer intends to announce his government’s readiness to play a leading role in the reconstruction of Gaza during the peace summit to be held in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el Sheikh on Monday, according to a statement issued Sunday.
Starmer is set to announce a £20 million ($26.7 million) humanitarian aid allocation, as part of a broader aid commitment to Gaza, aimed at securing the repair of water and sanitation services severely damaged during two years of war.
Starmer is heading to Egypt to attend the Gaza peace summit co-chaired by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi after a ceasefire agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas on Friday.
“Today begins the crucial first phase of ending this war, and now we must fully launch the second phase,” Starmer is expected to say at the summit, according to a statement from Downing Street.
The British government also announced its decision to host a three-day conference on Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction, and to discuss post-war plans for Gaza.
According to the statement, “The conference will be attended by a group of international partners, including Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority, in addition to the private sector and international development finance institutions,” without specifying a date for the conference.
For her part, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement, “Gaza has been completely devastated… The ceasefire gives us the opportunity not only to urgently intensify humanitarian efforts, but also to look forward to Gaza’s future recovery”.
Cooper added, “Britain will also play a crucial role in this process, by bringing together various stakeholders, as we are doing today with Egypt, and bringing expertise, experience, and investments from the City of London to support reconstruction”.
