Brussels (Brussels Morning) – The European Commission boosts humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza by €68 million amidst deteriorating conditions. Efforts include airlifts, convoys, and medical support, addressing urgent needs in the conflict-stricken region.
In light of the ongoing deterioration of the severe humanitarian situation in Gaza, and the steady rise of conditions on the ground, the European Commission is stepping up its funding to help Palestinians impacted by the ongoing war.
Janez Lenarčič, Commissioner for Crisis Management said, “We are witnessing a true humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza. The critical condition of Palestinians in extreme peril is getting disastrous beyond words. The dramatic death toll and injuries among civilians, mostly women and children, the destruction of vital infrastructures and the impending famine in Gaza must be a wake-up call for the entire international community. Civilians should not pay the price of any conflict. Palestinians cannot wait any longer for meaningful aid to arrive, Israel must do more to avert a further human disaster. Respect for international law is paramount.”
How Much Additional Funding Is the EU Providing?
The European Union has now assigned an additional €68 million in the form of humanitarian aid to be funnelled through partner organisations already helping Palestinians in Gaza and across the region. This support strives to scale up the desperately needed food assistance, nutritional, health, water and sanitation and shelter aid, amongst others. This support conveys total EU humanitarian aid to €193 million for Palestinians in need inside Gaza and across the region in 2024.
Furthermore, the EU Humanitarian Air Bridge operation to assist people in Gaza continues to transport vital supplies delivered by humanitarian partners and EU Member States. The latest flight will supply emergency supplies today and two additional flights are planned for the first week of May.
What Steps Is the European Commission Taking for Gaza?
The European Commission is constantly observing the situation and stands ready to provide further assistance as required. The European Union has supported 2 convoys transporting over 130 tonnes of shelter, health, water and sanitation caches donated by Ireland and humanitarian partners. These items, deployed from Dubai, are being hauled to Gaza in coordination with the Global Logistics Cluster via Jordan.
How Severe is the Humanitarian Situation in Gaza?
The prolonged humanitarian situation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip continues to deteriorate rapidly due to the persistent intensification of hostilities after the terrorist attack on Israel and the consequent full-scale Israeli military operation, along with the blocking of Gaza. The already alarming humanitarian situation in Gaza has reached a disastrous level for the 2.2 million population, resulting in a high casualty toll among civilians and a concrete risk of famine.
To react to the crisis, since October 2023, the EU has operated 48 humanitarian air bridge flights transporting over 2,000 tonnes of relief items provided by humanitarian partners and several EU Member States.
Is the EU Addressing the Urgent Needs in Gaza?
The EU also extended two EU warehouses inside Gaza, in Rafah and the Middle Area, for a total of 1,500 square meters at the disposal of humanitarian partners. The EU is also examining all available means of aid delivery, while land delivery remains the most practical and efficient way to increase the flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza at the scale required.
Through the EHRC, an epidemiologist of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has also been operating to help the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Jordan.
