LONDON 

Britain on Saturday announced additional humanitarian aid worth some £8.5 million ($11.4 million) Gaza following Israel's announcement of plans to occupy Gaza City.

In a statement, International Development Minister Jenny Chapman announced further UK funding for the UN humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip amid calls on Israel to reverse its occupation plans.

Israel’s Security Cabinet approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s widely opposed occupation plans early Friday.

According to the statement, the new £8.5 million funding will be delivered through the UN’s OCHA Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) Humanitarian Fund, which targets the delivery of aid such as food, water, and fuel to the areas of Gaza in the most acute need.

"The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza continues and we urge Israel to reverse its decision to expand military operations," Chapman said in the statement.

Saying that it is "unacceptable" that so much aid is waiting at the border, and that the UK is ready to provide more through its partners, she noted that the UK demands that the Israeli government allows more aid in safely and securely.

This funding is part of the UK’s £101 million ($135.8 million) Official Development Assistance budget for the OPTs for this financial year.