Source: European Parliament
In 2024, the Commission allocated EUR 237 million in humanitarian aid to address the needs of vulnerable Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank[1]. EU humanitarian aid is delivered according to the humanitarian principles of humanity, independence, impartiality and neutrality[2]. These funds were allocated by the Commission to certified non-governmental partners and international organisations, including United Nations organisations[3].
Humanitarian non-governmental partners are thoroughly assessed by the Commission on their capacity to observe basic principles and obligations, including respect of the relevant EU, international and national law, as well as compliance with transparency, accountability and internal controls, including risk management mechanisms[4].
Furthermore, humanitarian partners have taken measures to secure aid delivery, such as securing warehouses, ensuring presence during distributions, and coordinating routes used for movement with Israeli security forces through the Humanitarian Notification System. The Commission is in regular contact with its partners on the ground. Despite the dramatic situation, they are doing their utmost to ensure due diligence, monitoring the situation and their activities.
Reconstruction goes beyond humanitarian aid and requires a long-term ceasefire as well as other conditions, such as governance and security arrangements, to fall in place. With the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas during 2024, the EU was not able to finance any reconstruction activities in Gaza in 2024.
- [1] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/where/middle-east-and-northern-africa/palestine_en#how-are-we-helping .
- [2] https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/who/humanitarian-principles_en.
- [3] Funded partners operating in Palestine in 2024 were the United Nations Children’s Fund (United States), the World Food Programme (Italy), United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East (Palestine), Norwegian Refugee Council (Norway), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Switzerland), International Committee of the Red Cross (Switzerland), World Health Organisation, War Child (Netherlands), International Rescue Committee (Denmark), Relief International (France), Humanity and Inclusion (France), Action Against Hunger (Spain), Care International (Austria), Médecins du Monde (France), World Vision (Denmark), United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Switzerland), and International NGO Safety Organisation (Netherlands).
- [4] https://www.dgecho-partners-helpdesk.eu/ngo/humanitarian-partnership-2021-2027/eu-humanitarian-partnership-certificate-2021-2027 .