Germany, Austria Suspend Aid to Palestine

Germany and Austria have announced the suspension of aid to the Palestinian territories in the wake of the "Operation Al-Aqsa" attack launched by Hamas against Israel.

The decision to suspend aid to the Palestinian territories was communicated by a spokesperson for the German Ministry of Development.

Berlin had discussed on Sunday whether it should halt aid to the Palestinians following the Hamas attack.

Svenja Schulze, Germany's Minister of Development, who belongs to the ruling Social Democratic Party, stated that the government always ensures that funds are used only for peaceful purposes.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock warned of a "major regional escalation" in the Middle East following the "terrorist" attack by Hamas against Israel on Saturday.

She expressed concerns about the possibility of "other" groups joining the attack, adding that "Hamas terrorism once again moves the region further away from peace."

In Vienna, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg announced on Monday the suspension of aid to the Palestinians, totaling around 19 million euros ($20 million), allocated for various projects, in response to the deadly attack by Hamas on Israel.

Austria's ruling conservative coalition, which usually maintains a policy of neutrality, has adopted one of the most pro-Israel stances in the European Union in recent years.

The Israeli flag was raised above the Austrian Chancellor's office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs after Hamas' surprise attack from the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

Schellenberg stated in comments confirmed by his spokesperson, "The extent of terrorism is extremely horrifying to the point that we cannot continue business as usual.

Therefore, we will freeze all Austrian development cooperation payments for now."

The decisions by Germany and Austria to suspend aid reflect growing international concern and condemnation of the recent escalation in violence in the Middle East.

These actions underscore the need for diplomatic efforts to restore peace and stability to the region.