ISTANBUL

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy will pay a three-day visit to the Gulf aimed at building consensus with regional partners on a long-term framework for peace in Gaza, Foreign Office said in a statement on Friday.

Lammy will have meetings in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to discuss efforts to turn any ceasefire into a durable peace, focusing on a monitoring mechanism, the disarmament of Hamas and new governance arrangements for Gaza.

“The situation in Gaza is utterly bleak. Each day, the humanitarian crisis worsens with famine threatening to spiral across the territory, while the hostages remain cruelly held captive,” Lammy said in a statement.

He underlined that ending the war in Gaza requires not only an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages, but also “a transformation in the delivery of aid” and a broader push toward a two-state solution.

The UK recently pledged an additional £15 million ($19 million) for medical care and aid in Gaza, raising its total humanitarian contribution to the Occupied Palestinian Territories to £75 million for this financial year.

Funding will support UN agencies providing care for women and girl,s as well as UK Med’s field hospitals. Later this month, critically ill Gazan children are expected to arrive in the UK for specialist treatment.

Lammy also said the UK intends to coordinate with international partners on recognizing Palestinian statehood as part of efforts to preserve the viability of a two-state solution.

The foreign secretary stressed that Israel’s restrictions on humanitarian aid into Gaza are “indefensible” and urged greater international pressure to ensure more assistance enters the enclave.

At the same time, he called on Hamas to release all hostages and accept they cannot play a role in Gaza’s future governance.

During the visit, Lammy is planning the meetings to thank Gulf partners for their contributions. The UAE has delivered humanitarian aid, including in partnership with the UK, while Qatar has mediated for a sustainable cease-fire and hostage release. Saudi Arabia has provided security support alongside the US and European partners.

Talks will also cover strengthening UK-Gulf trade ties, with bilateral trade already valued at more than £57 billion ($74 billion), according to the Foreign Office.

The ongoing genocide in Gaza has entered its 700th day on Friday, with Israel having killed more than 64,200 Palestinians. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.