EU Pledges €68 Mln in Aid for Palestine

The European Union (EU) announced on Friday an increase in funding for Palestinians by €68 million in response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.

Janusz Lenarčič, EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, stated, "We are witnessing a real humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza."

He added that he high number of casualties among civilians, mostly women and children, the destruction of vital infrastructure, and the imminent famine in Gaza must serve as a wake-up call to the entire international community.

Lenarčič emphasized that Palestinians cannot wait any longer for meaningful aid to arrive."

According to Politico, the goal of the additional support, totaling €68 million and raising the EU's total humanitarian assistance to Palestinians to €193 million, aims to increase much-needed aid in food, health, water, sanitation, and shelter, as per the Commission's statement.

Several countries announced the suspension of their funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) following Israeli allegations regarding the involvement of agency staff in the Al-Aqsa Intifada on October 7.

However, many countries decided to review their stance.

This reversal came after the UNRWA Review Committee concluded that Israel had not provided evidence to substantiate its claims about the agency's staff involvement in the Al-Aqsa Intifada.

Catherine Colonna, chair of the UNRWA Review Group, stated that Israel must provide clear evidence of its allegations of misconduct by UNRWA staff.

Colonna, during a press conference for the independent review group to present the UNRWA neutrality report, affirmed that the UN agency had made significant efforts to reform its operational system.

Colonna stressed the importance of respecting UNRWA's work, providing security for its employees, and developing effective strategies to ensure the neutrality of its workers.