European Commission has vowed the additional aid to provide life-saving assistance to Gaza focusing on water and sanitation, health, food and other essential items
As a part of the European Commission’s continued support to Gaza, the European Commission has announced an additional humanitarian aid of € 25 million, taking the total to over € 100 million this year.
The new assistance will be provided to humanitarian organisations to provide life-saving assistance, in particular focusing on water and sanitation, health, food and other essential items.
The ongoing tension between Israel and Hamas escalated on Saturday, i.e., October 7, 2023, when Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack by air, sea and land on Israel, killing more than 1,400 people with at least 150 hostages taken into Gaza. In response, Israel attacked Gaza, with more than 10,000 people been killed.
Israel said 31 soldiers had been killed since it began expanded ground operations in Gaza on October 27, 2023 and reiterated that Hamas was hiding with civilians and at hospitals. Hamas said the idea that Hamas was based in hospitals is a false narrative that the U.N. should verify.
Speaking on the occasion, the President of the European Commission – Ursula von der Leyen said, “Today, I can announce that we are further increasing humanitarian aid to Gaza by another €25 million. By doing so, the European Union would spend a total of €100 million in humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. At the same time, we are working with Israel, Egypt, and the United Nations, to let more convoys into Gaza, including through corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs.”
Taking it to X (formerly Twitter), the European Commission tweeted,
As part of the EU's continued support to people in Gaza, we will provide a further €25 million in humanitarian aid.
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) November 6, 2023
This quadruples EU humanitarian assistance for Gaza this year.
At the same time, we are working to let more convoys into Gaza ↓
It further tweeted,
To support people in need in Gaza, we are
— European Commission (@EU_Commission) November 6, 2023
🔹 providing humanitarian assistance;
🔹 calling for humanitarian access and aid to those in need;
🔹 sending aid through a Humanitarian Air Bridge operation. pic.twitter.com/1yZvNz8d4d
The E.U. has been providing humanitarian assistance to Palestine since 2000. The European Council Conclusions, adopted on October 26, 2023, called for continued, safe and unhindered humanitarian access and aid to reach those in need through all necessary measures, including humanitarian corridors and pauses for humanitarian needs.
The E.U. has also launched a Humanitarian Air Bridge Operation to aid the people affected by the crisis, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian cargo supplied by partners such as UNICEF and international organisations.
A total of 8 E.U. funded flights have already reached Egypt and delivered over 372 tonnes of aid. Egypt borders Gaza and controls the only non-Israeli crossing into the strip, It aims to facilitate the prepositioning of aid in support of fast delivery of assistance to people in need in Gaza.
Furthermore, the E.U. Civil Protection Mechanism has been activated to offer support for repatriation flights from Israel.
