EU announces €125 million in initial humanitarian aid for Palestinians for 2024

As the humanitarian situation continues to worsen in the Middle East, the Commission will provide €125 million in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in 2024.

This new funding will support humanitarian organisations working in both Gaza and the West Bank.

• In Gaza, where the humanitarian needs are at an all-time high, the focus will be on life-saving emergency response, and restoring access to basic needs like water, food, healthcare, shelter, and sanitation. The humanitarian response will also prioritise the protection of the most vulnerable groups, psychosocial support and education in emergencies.
• In the West Bank, where many Palestinian communities are at risk of displacement, or already forcibly displaced, EU-funded humanitarian projects will provide protection services, such as legal aid or material assistance to people affected by settler violence, confiscation of private property or loss of livelihoods, and will support their access to basic services and education in emergencies.

EU-funded humanitarian assistance is provided in line with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. It is delivered through the UN humanitarian agencies, non-governmental organisations and the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as many local aid organisations partnering with them.

With each passing day, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza worsens. In response, the Commission has rapidly mobilised its wide set of emergency response tools. With a total of 30 humanitarian air bridge flights organised, already 1000 tonnes of assistance have been sent to the people in need in Gaza.

Background

The EU has been providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in need since 2000, supporting people affected by emergencies and shocks.

The full-scale military operation, following the Hamas terror attack of 7 October, along with the complete siege on Gaza imposed by the Israeli Government, has brought the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza to a catastrophic level for the 2.2 million population.

In response to the escalation of violence in the Middle East, European Commission quadrupled its humanitarian funding. This brought the total of humanitarian funding allocated to Palestinians in 2023 to €103 million.