News story

UK government to double public donations for Gaza

The UK will match pound for pound the first £2 million donations to the DEC Gaza appeal

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Photograph of a child drinking from a tap

Clean water and sanitation is critical to prevent disease breaking out. Picture: Iyad Al Baba/Oxfam

The British government will activate UK Aid Match for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal, International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced today.

The DEC will see the first £2 million of donations from members of the public aid matched, meaning that every £1 donated is matched by UK aid.

Image - a graphic of the need for help in Gaza

You can donate to the DEC Gaza appeal at www.dec.org.uk or text DEC to 70000 to give £5

Justine Greening said:

Four weeks of violence have left people in Gaza in desperate need of food, shelter and medical supplies. The British people have shown immense generosity in situations like this and the UK Government will help that generosity go twice as far.

For people wanting to help civilians in Gaza caught up in this crisis, giving now means every pound they donate will buy twice as many food parcels, provide twice as many blankets and help twice as many people to get through this crisis.

The DEC appeal will provide immediate life-saving support to people affected by the crisis in Gaza.

The new £2 million commitment will take the UK government’s total support for the people of Gaza since the start of this crisis to £17 million. In addition to today’s announcement, since the beginning of the crisis Britain has released:

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Published 7 August 2014