Tánaiste meets UN Humanitarian Chief to discuss relief efforts as hundreds of Irish Aid tents arrive in Gaza

Tánaiste Simon Harris today met with UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, to discuss efforts to ramp-up aid delivery in Gaza.

The meeting came as the Tánaiste also confirmed that 750 family-sized Irish Aid tents have arrived in Gaza and will be distributed to people whose homes have been destroyed.

Under-Secretary General Fletcher was in Gaza last weekend and provided an update to the Tánaiste on the critical humanitarian crisis facing people there.

The Tánaiste pledged Ireland’s commitment to the UN humanitarian response. Ireland has provided over €89 million to the Palestinian people since October 2023. This support includes providing humanitarian stocks such as the tents.

The Tánaiste said: “Hearing Under-Secretary General Fletcher speak about the people he met in Gaza last weekend was a powerful reminder of the scale of human suffering. The people he met have lived through two years of hell.

“They are determined now to rebuild their lives. The UN is ramping-up its aid deliveries and the international community must do what it can to support these life-saving efforts.

“I made clear that Ireland’s stands firmly behind efforts to deliver vital aid to people in Gaza. We have provided €89 million in support for people in Palestine since October 2023 and intend on scaling-up our response in the weeks and months ahead.

“A practical illustration of that support was the delivery of 750 family-sized tents from Irish Aid into Gaza yesterday. These tents will provide shelter to people who have lost their homes.”