Humanitarian disaster in Gaza - Germany is providing assistance
Germany Federal Foreign Office
27.05.2024 - Article
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains disastrous. In order to alleviate this suffering, Germany has repeatedly and significantly increased its humanitarian assistance. Read on to find out more.
For weeks now, the quantity of relief supplies crossing the border into Gaza has been inadequate. The humanitarian situation remains disastrous, especially in the north of the territory. In the wake of the Hamas rocket attack on the Kerem Shalom border crossing and the Israeli army's operations in Rafah, access to basic necessities has also become more difficult in the south.
Following the brutal attack by the terrorist organisation Hamas on Israel 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, above all 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 eight visits to the region since 7 October 2023. Germany has repeatedly increased its humanitarian assistance for people in the Palestinian territories.
On 29 February 2024, the Foreign Minister said:
We are increasing our humanitarian assistance for Gaza by an additional 20 million euro. Yet that is by far not enough. The number of lorries transporting life-saving food aid, medicine and other supplies to Gaza has sharply decreased in recent weeks. This is unacceptable. The Israeli Government must immediately enable secure and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance. The International Court of Justice, too, has ordered it to do so. Following the breakdown of public order in many parts of the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army must ensure that humanitarian assistance can be successfully distributed.
On 27 May, the Federal Foreign Office announced that it would provide an additional 39 million euro. Germany's support is helping the World Health Organization, as well as the German Red Cross, the Johanniter, Care International and Oxfam, to improve healthcare in Gaza - for example by running mobile clinics in emergency shelters and providing equipment for water treatment. The UN refugee agency UNHCR is receiving further funding to care for injured people from Gaza in Egypt.
This brings overall assistance for the Palestinian territories to around 289 million euro, with some 214 million euro in new funding since 7 October 2023.
Assistance from the air
Since 16 March, Germany has been involved in airdrops to help the suffering population in Gaza. The relief operation is real European teamwork. Two Hercules transport aircraft from the Franco-German transport squadron in Évreux, Normandy, were transferred to Jordan to support the airdrops over Gaza. The larger A400M aircraft belonging to the Bundeswehr have now taken over this task.
We are also continuing to work on ensuring that more assistance can enter Gaza by road. We know that every relief package counts. But airdrops only cover a fraction of the territory's needs. In order to ensure that people in Gaza have sufficient provisions, the Israeli Government must urgently open further border crossings so that more relief supplies can enter by lorry.
Food, water, medicines and hygiene products
The Federal Foreign Office is working with the United Nations and experienced international aid organisations to get the urgently needed aid to the people in Gaza. Our partners on the ground include the World Food Programme, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the German Red Cross.
With the humanitarian assistance that is being provided by Germany, the organisations can get basic foodstuffs, medical care and hygiene products to Gaza. Distributed aid includes millet, rice, chickpeas and oil, as well as medical products such as wound dressing material and syringes.
Germany is cooperating closely with partners in the region: We deliver relief supplies to Egypt and Jordan so that they can be transported to Gaza from there. In February, for instance, vital medicines were delivered to Jordan and subsequently used in Jordanian field hospitals in Gaza.
The Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues is coordinating Germany's contribution
Foreign Minister Baerbock appointed the seasoned career diplomat Deike Potzel as Germany's Special Envoy for Middle East Humanitarian Issues to coordinate Germany's contribution. In this role, she serves as a counterpart to US Special Envoy Lise Grande and as a central German point of contact for stakeholders 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 in our partners' capitals. Her work builds on Germany's long-standing humanitarian commitment, as well as efforts for peace and stability in the region.
Info
The UN relief agency UNRWA
The work done by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) plays a vital role in providing basic necessities for the Palestinian population. In late January 2024, serious allegations were made against members of the organisation's staff. A commission set up by the UN and headed by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna presented an investigative report in April 2024. The report concludes that UNRWA carries out important work in Gaza, but that its structures require improvement. Fifty specific recommendations for improvement are set out. UNRWA has committed to implementing these recommendations. Consequently, the German Government has decided to resume its cooperation with the organisation in Gaza.
Germany previously announced in March 2024 that it was making available 45 million euro for the regional work of UNRWA in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank. This sum is made up of 22 million euro from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and 23 million euro from the Federal Foreign Office - for food aid, among other things.
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