Glasgow City Council is gearing up to offer financial aid to Palestinians in Gaza.

About 2.2 million Palestinians are in need of food and other assistance as the Israel-Gaza war continues.

Councillors are due to be presented with a paper on how aid could be offered before the summer holidays.

Speaking at a council meeting yesterday, councillor Leódhas Massie asked about when a paper would be brought forward to “explore the financial relief that Glasgow could offer Palestinians in Gaza by way of Medical Aid for Palestine?”

SNP councillor Greg Hepburn said the “subject is important to all of us across the chamber and speaks to Glasgow’s history of looking outwards towards those in great need, which is welcome.”

He told councillor Massie “There are limitations on who the council can provide funding to in these situations. We are simply not allowed to provide direct aid to communities abroad.”

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He said that in the past the council has provided donations to “wider organisations hosting specific funds.”

He said: “For example, in May 2022 we agreed on a payment of £20,000 to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Ukraine fund and officers have checked to see if DEC is running a similar appeal in relation to Gaza. They have not to date launched anything.”

The convener for open government, council business manager added: “They have provided a list of member charities that do have appeals and officers are considering whether any of those organisations meet the criteria for us to donate to.

"There are also potential alternatives like the British Red Cross acting as an umbrella organisation that we might be able to provide funding to as well.”

Council officers are due to present councillors with options at the city administration committee before the summer break.