LONDON — The United Kingdom is providing an initial 3.2 million pounds ($5.4 million approximmately) to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA to help it provide food, water, and emergency shelter to Palestinians affected by the recent escalation in violence in Gaza, the UK’s Minister for the Middle East James Cleverly announced on Thursday. The UK support comes as UNRWA launched on Wednesday an emergency appeal calling for urgent support to meet immediate humanitarian needs. The aid is in addition to existing UK aid to UNRWA that is already helping the agency to provide food supplies to more than one million refugees in Gaza this year. According to the UK government, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is very concerning, with the percentage of the population living in poverty expected to increase this year from 53 percent to 64 percent. COVID-19 is still spreading in Gaza and two million Palestinians have been living under severe movement and access restrictions. Commenting on the emergency aid being given to UNRWA, Cleverly said: “Palestinian and Israeli civilians should not face the brunt of this conflict, and no child or family should go without food, water or shelter. Today’s UK support will help UNRWA deliver life-saving humanitarian aid to those that need it most.” “The international community needs to ensure UNRWA is able to save lives and reduce the suffering.” “The escalation of violence and loss of life in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories has shocked all of us. Both sides must work towards an immediate ceasefire, to prevent the further loss of life and a worsening humanitarian situation,” the UK’s Minister for the Middle East added. Meanwhile, UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has spoken in recent days with the Israeli Foreign Minister and Palestinian Prime Minister, where he reinforced the UK’s clear message of de-escalation,”