UK defense secretary to visit Israel this week, push for faster aid to Gaza

British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps will visit Israel this week to push for faster humanitarian aid to Gaza, his office says.

“My visit this week is an important opportunity to discuss efforts to accelerate the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian assistance into Gaza and efforts to secure the release of all remaining hostages,’ says Shapps of the roughly 137 hostages still in the hand of Hamas and allied terror groups since October 7

“We are working to find the best way to get aid and support to those in desperate need in the quickest and most direct route. That includes options by land, sea and air,” he says.

The UK has deployed “an extra 1,000 military personnel in the Middle East and our forces are there to support the humanitarian aid effort and help in stabilizing the area,’ says the defense secretary.

Shapps will meet with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to “address the current security situation and Israel’s next steps” and with Palestinian Authority Minister General Ziad Hab Al-Reeh, “to address the urgent need for measures to improve security for Palestinians in the West Bank.”

“The UK has made clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against terror, restore its security and bring the hostages home, but it must abide by international humanitarian law and take all possible measures to protect civilians,” says Shapps in the statement.