British Foreign Secretary: The famine in Gaza is “man-made.”

UK Foreign Secretary has expressed outrage over the Israeli government’s refusal to permit sufficient aid into Gaza, announcing an additional £15 million to fund medical assistance in the region. In his address to the House of Commons, David Lammy acknowledged a recent declaration from the UN-backed hunger monitor, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which stated that Gaza is experiencing a “man-made famine.”

Lammy reiterated the UK government’s commitment to bringing critically injured Gazan children to the UK for specialist treatment within the NHS, with the first patients expected to arrive in the coming weeks. Israel has criticized the IPC report as “deeply flawed” and has called for its retraction.

He also affirmed the UK government’s intention to pursue “full recognition” of a Palestinian state at the upcoming UN General Assembly later this month.

In his statement on Monday, Lammy called for a “massive, massive humanitarian response” to prevent further deaths and urged that crucial NGOs, humanitarian organizations, and health workers be allowed to distribute stockpiles of aid at Gaza’s borders. His remarks echoed his previous response to the IPC’s declaration of famine, which he described as a “moral outrage.”

The UN and other aid organizations have reported significant challenges in collecting and distributing aid in Gaza. The IPC’s report last month revealed that half a million people—approximately a quarter of the Palestinian population in Gaza—are suffering from famine. It also indicated that starvation is rapidly spreading in Gaza City, with further famine expected to affect the rest of the enclave in September.

The additional £15 million announced by Lammy will be allocated through the medical aid charity UK-Med and the World Health Organization in Egypt. He stated, “We continue to work alongside regional partners, including Egypt and Jordan, to enable the UN and NGOs to ensure aid reaches those most in need.”

Regarding the evacuation of injured children, Lammy noted, “It relies entirely on Israeli permissions, and I’m pressing the Israeli government for this to happen as quickly as possible.” Some Gazan children have already been brought to the UK privately for medical treatment through an initiative by Project Pure Hope, but the government has not yet evacuated any through its own scheme during the conflict.

Lammy also condemned the Israeli government for its ongoing approval of illegal settlements in the West Bank, asserting that it is “tightening its stranglehold on the Palestinian economy.” The International Court of Justice, the UN’s highest court, has deemed Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories to be against international law, a stance that Israel consistently disputes.

Recently, Israel approved illegal settlement construction in the E1 area east of Al Quds, a move that would effectively sever the occupied West Bank from al-Quds ash-Sharqiya and divide the territory in two.

David Lammy voiced his opposition to this decision, stating that the approval of illegal settlements in “Jerusalem” al-Quds ash-Sharqiya moved the dial” even closer to the recognition of a Palestinian state.