UK Criticises Delayed Gaza Aid as Tents Finally Arrive

Published: 02 December 2025 Tuesday. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

The UK government has sharply criticised delays in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza after a shipment of more than 1,100 tents it sent took over a year to reach the territory.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper expressed concerns that other UK-funded aid had also struggled to reach residents, despite the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. She described the situation in Gaza as “dire,” noting that worsening rains and plummeting temperatures threaten 1.5 million people in urgent need of shelter, according to United Nations estimates.

The tents, each capable of housing a family of five, finally arrived on Monday, with additional shipments expected this week. Government sources estimate that the aid could provide shelter for up to 12,000 people during the harsh winter months.

Cooper emphasised that delays in getting aid into Gaza are unacceptable and called for all border crossings to be opened to ensure unhindered humanitarian access. “Parents have been trying to shelter their children under broken roofs and open skies,” she said. “These tents will provide a lifeline to thousands of people needing shelter, protecting them from the cold winds and relentless rain turning rubble into mud.”

Nearly 1.9 million people in Gaza — almost 90% of the population — have been displaced since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023, the UN reports. While the arrival of the tents is welcome, Cooper stressed that it represents only a first step in the reconstruction urgently needed. She expressed frustration that earlier consignments of aid had remained stuck at the border.

“This cannot be allowed to continue,” she said. “The arrival of these tents shows the scale of potential impact when our aid gets in, and we will continue to do all we can to urge unhindered humanitarian access, the opening of all the crossings, the implementation of the peace plan, and a path to peace.”

Jonathan Veitch, Unicef Special Representative to the State of Palestine, highlighted the importance of the delivery, noting that it “represents months of ongoing work by the international community to push for greater aid access.” He added, “The situation in Gaza is devastating as cold, and heavy rains continue to affect families living in extremely difficult conditions. Even with the ceasefire, daily life remains incredibly challenging for children in the Gaza Strip. UK aid–supported tents have now entered Gaza and will provide urgently needed shelter to help families face the harsh winter. Much more is needed.”

The UK has urged Israel to facilitate faster and more reliable entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip to prevent further suffering among its civilian population.