The European Union announced today new humanitarian aid, worth 68 million euros, to the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, France Press reported, quoted from BTA.
The Palestinian enclave has been devastated for more than six months now by Israeli bombing and ground operations launched in response to an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian radical movement "Hamas" against Israel on October 7 last year, claimed nearly 1,200 lives, mostly civilians. Now the civilian population of about two million people in Gaza depends on humanitarian aid to survive.
"Given the deepening severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the ever-increasing needs on the ground, the European Commission is increasing its funding to assist the Palestinians," said an EU communique.
"With this support, the EU's total humanitarian aid to Palestinians in need in Gaza and across the region in 2024 amounts to €193 million," the communiqué states.
The EU noted that the new aid will focus on the provision of food and drinking water, provision of sanitation and shelter, and will be delivered through local partners.
The UN has said the Israeli operation has turned Gaza into a "humanitarian hell," raising fears that the population there is at risk of starvation.
The EU and the US have called on Israel to allow more aid into the Gaza Strip. Yesterday, the US military said it had begun building a floating jetty near the coast to increase supplies to Gaza.
According to AFP, which is based on Israeli official data, in the attack by "Hamas" 1170 people died against Israel, most of them civilians. In response, Israel vowed to destroy the "Hamas" movement, which has ruled Gaza since 2007. The Israeli army launched an offensive that, according to the health ministry in the Palestinian territory, has so far claimed the lives of 34,356 people, most of them civilians. .