Jersey Overseas Aid Commission, the Island’s official, publicly-funded aid and development agency, has approved new humanitarian funding allocations to support civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
This approval brings Jersey’s total funding to £1 million in 2025.
The new allocations to the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and to Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) will support ongoing response efforts to the humanitarian needs of civilians in Gaza.
The decision comes as humanitarian agencies seize the critical window to scale up operations following the recent ceasefire and renewed international efforts towards peace in the region. Despite improvements in access, the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains severe, with millions of civilians facing acute shortages of food, healthcare, and shelter.
“These latest allocations demonstrate Jersey’s determination to act swiftly and effectively in one of the world’s most devastating humanitarian crises,” said Deputy Carolyn Labey, Chair of the JOA Commission and Minister for International Development. “As the humanitarian community enters a pivotal phase and agencies regain access to cut-off communities, our timely support is helping deliver food, medicine and other life-saving assistance to those who need it most.”
Last month, Deputy Labey received a personal briefing from WFP’s Country Director in Jerusalem, who outlined how JOA’s most recent funding (allocated in July) is reaching civilians in Gaza – providing vital nutrition to malnourished children under five, and to pregnant and breastfeeding women. The new funding will help WFP scale up these essential operations as access to Gaza improves.
“Jersey’s support comes at a critical moment, as WFP scales up life-saving food assistance across Gaza,” said Antoine Renard, WFP Country Director for Palestine. “This timely contribution enables us to reach more families with not just food, but a sense of hope and dignity amid unimaginable hardship.”
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) will use Jersey’s support to deliver essential oncology medicines, including chemotherapy drugs for over 4,400 patients across Gaza – with additional support to first responders in the West Bank, in partnership with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society.
UN OCHA, which coordinates humanitarian response across all UN and NGO partners, will use Jersey’s contribution to enhance coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance as operations scale up across Gaza and the West Bank, ensuring that aid reaches those most in need as relief efforts expand.
Since October 2023, Jersey has allocated £2.3 million to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, supporting trusted humanitarian actors – including WFP, OCHA, MAP, and International Health Partners (IHP) – which adhere to the highest standards of quality, transparency, and accountability, ensuring Jersey’s funds deliver maximum impact to those in need.
Picture credit: © WFP/Maxime Le Lijour
