Utilising the humanitarian pause - Germany has increased its assistance for people in Gaza
Germany Federal Foreign Office
23.11.2023 - Article
The humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is disastrous. In order to alleviate the hardship, Germany is increasing its humanitarian assistance for people in the Palestinian territories. You can find out more here.
On 22 November, the Israeli Government approved an agreement that provides for the release of some of the people kidnapped by Hamas as well as a humanitarian pause. What is important now is for this agreement to be swiftly implemented.
The Foreign Minister posted the following statement on the network X on 22 November:
The announced release of a first larger group of hostages is a breakthrough - even if nothing in the world can undo their suffering. The humanitarian pause must be used to bring vital aid to the people in Gaza.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza has been disastrous for weeks now. Following the brutal attack by the terrorist organisation Hamas on the State of Israel and its people on 7 October, the civilian population in Gaza, too, is suffering the consequences of Hamas' terror. The supply of basic provisions and services for the civilian population has collapsed and hundreds of thousands of people there, including many children, are lacking bare essentials: food, water and medical care. It is therefore important that humanitarian assistance can be distributed to the civilian population in Gaza quickly and without any obstructions. This has been one of the focuses of Foreign Minister Baerbock's three visits to the region since 7 October.
Foreign Minister Baerbock has announced that Germany will increase its humanitarian assistance for the people in the Palestinian territories.
At a press conference in Amman on 19 October, the Foreign Minister stated:
We are increasing our support for Palestinians, who have also become the victims of this terrorist attack by Hamas. The German Government has decided to increase our humanitarian assistance for the civilian population in Gaza by 50 million euro with immediate effect.
This funding will be used to support international organisations such as the World Food Programme, UNICEF and, above all, UNRWA, so that people in Gaza can be supplied with food. Our message is clear: we will not abandon innocent Palestinian mothers, fathers and children.
On 11 November, speaking in Ramallah, Foreign Minister Baerbock announced that this support would be increased once again by 38 million euro. German humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian territories in 2023 therefore now totals around 161 million euro.
Food, water, medicines and hygiene products
The United Nations and the Red Cross will use this money to provide for people in need. In concrete terms, they will supply basic foodstuffs, medical care and hygiene products.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is being given an additional 44 million euro for food aid in Gaza. Above all, this will fund the distribution of basic foodstuffs such as millet, rice, chickpeas and oil. A further 28.7 million euro will enable the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to provide people in Gaza and in the West Bank with food. The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is being granted 5 million euro to help children and their families in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is being granted an additional 5 million euro for medical dressings and supplies such as syringes and needles, as the healthcare system in Gaza is completely overwhelmed. The German Red Cross, together with the Red Crescent, will use 2.3 million euro to provide basic healthcare and crisis support. In addition, the German Government will pay another 2.97 million euro into the United Nations Country-Based Pooled Fund, which is administered by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Humanitarian access must be granted in order for the assistance to reach people. Hundreds of tonnes of relief goods are on hand at the Rafah border crossing, ready for rapid distribution.
Appointment of Germany's Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues
Foreign Minister Baerbock has appointed the experienced career diplomat Deike Potzel as Germany's Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues. In this role, she serves as a counterpart to the US Special Envoy David Satterfield and a central German point of contact for actors in the region. The Special Envoy's work is embedded in international efforts to mitigate the humanitarian crisis in which Gaza's civilian population finds itself as a result of Hamas' terrorist attacks.
As part of humanitarian shuttle diplomacy in the region, the Special Envoy serves as a point of contact for UN organisations (OCHA, UNRWA, WFP, UNICEF) and the ICRC as well as international and regional partners. She is also in close contact with those responsible for humanitarian assistance in the region and our partners' capitals. Her work builds on Germany's long-standing humanitarian commitment, as well as efforts for peace and stability in the region.
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