On Monday, the European Union (EU) committed to 7.7 billion euros (US$8.39 billion) in humanitarian aid in 2024. This initial investment marks a decrease from the previous year’s total.
Despite escalating needs in places like Gaza, the initial investment fell short of last year’s 8.4 billion euros. The EU’s humanitarian aid and crisis management chief, Janez Lenarcic, expressed some satisfaction with the amount but expects betterment.
Meanwhile, the reasons for the reduction were not specified. The United Nations reports a record 300 million people requiring humanitarian assistance, primarily due to conflicts and climate change, with a funding gap of nearly US$50 billion worldwide.
Josep Borrell, the head of foreign policy for the European Union, condemned the dangerous situation in Gaza, claiming that it is close to famine and that Israel is using starvation as a strategic tool. Since Israel conflicted with Hamas in retaliation for an October att ack, aid delivery into Gaza has been restricted. The ongoing two-day conference in Brussels focuses on facilitating aid delivery to Gaza.
EU foreign ministers will discuss initiatives to increase aid access to Gaza, whether by land, sea, or air. Israel denies obstructing aid, attributing delays to aid agencies, and accusing Hamas of diverting assistance.
