brussels: A day after announcing a ceasefire and hostage release deal, the European Union said Thursday it would commit 120 million euros ($123 million) in new aid to war-torn Gaza.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said the new package brings EU humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory to more than 450 million euros from 2023.
The European Union has also operated flights that have delivered more than 3,800 tonnes of aid.
“Today we are also adopting a package of 120 million euros to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” EU spokeswoman Eva Hrancierova told reporters.
The commission said in a statement that the package would include food, health care and shelter assistance and assistance to allow access to clean water.
Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly urged safe and unimpeded aid access to hunger-stricken Gaza and world leaders have called for a ceasefire to remove aid barriers.
Anouar al-Anouni, another EU spokesman, said Brussels hoped the ceasefire would “significantly improve humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and allow this aid to be effectively distributed to those in need”.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa is in Brussels for meetings with senior EU officials, including European Council chief Antonio Costa on Thursday and EU foreign policy chief Kaza Kallas on Friday.
EU crisis management chief Hadja Lahabib met Mustafa earlier on Thursday, after which she said they discussed “the enormous needs in Gaza and the West Bank and how to address them”.
Qatar and the United States announced a ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas, although the deal appeared vulnerable on Thursday as Israel accused the Palestinian militant group of withdrawing on some elements.
