Staring out at the Jordanian landscape overlooking Palestine, Yvette Cooper expressed deep frustration. Less than 40 miles from the West Bank border, warehouses are packed with essential aid destined for Gaza, yet Israeli restrictions are preventing the much-needed supplies from reaching desperate Gazans.
In the vicinity of Amman, Jordan’s capital, lies the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge, a vital border crossing into the West Bank. However, the passage for aid trucks has been closed since September following the killing of two Israeli soldiers near the crossing.
Accompanied by the Foreign Secretary, I embarked on a four-day journey through the Middle East during a critical period in the peace process following two years of deadly conflicts. Travelling as part of a large delegation, including officials, security personnel, and advisors, we navigated through traffic at high speeds across various Middle Eastern destinations.
The trip commenced in Bahrain, where Ms. Cooper engaged in a security summit and held discussions with influential figures from the region. Subsequently, she visited Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for further crucial meetings, with the dire situation in Gaza taking precedence despite the opulence of the oil-rich Gulf region.
The focus of the trip was on transitioning a fragile ceasefire into a sustainable peace and addressing the challenges hindering aid delivery to the war-torn Gaza Strip. In Amman, upon witnessing 4,000 metric tonnes of food stockpiled in a World Food Programme warehouse south of the city, Ms. Cooper expressed frustration and anger at the prolonged delay in distributing these essential supplies to Gaza.
Volunteers at the warehouse revealed that some pallets containing vital items like wheat flour, canned goods, yeast, and sugar had been sitting there for up to nine months, while the people in Gaza continue to suffer from food shortages.
Reflecting on the proximity of Jordan to Gaza, Ms. Cooper emphasized the urgent need to reopen the Jordanian aid route into Gaza to swiftly deliver the substantial amount of aid stored in warehouses to families in need. She further disclosed plans to advocate for setting up a maternity field hospital in Gaza to address the current healthcare crisis.
The Foreign Secretary is intensifying pressure on Israel to lift restrictions on border crossings, as outlined in the peace plan brokered by Donald Trump. While numerous challenges persist in achieving lasting peace, immediate actions such as releasing aid from warehouses, establishing the maternity hospital, and providing educational resources to children could be promptly implemented to alleviate the crisis in Gaza.
Ms. Cooper stressed the urgency of the situation, emphasizing that immediate action is crucial alongside long-term reconstruction efforts. She highlighted the potential for rapid progress in setting up essential facilities and distributing aid efficiently to address the pressing needs in Gaza.