Utolsó frissítés: 2026.07.13. — Szerző: Anti-Propaganda News Blog
The $1 billion program falls critically short of the $71 billion that is reportedly needed to rebuild Gaza over the next 10 years.
Written by: AFP and Reuters
The European Commission has announced a $1 billion aid and reconstruction fund aimed at helping Gaza recover after more than two years of devastating war.
The „Team Gaza Initiative” was launched on Monday at a donors’ meeting in Brussels. The program supports projects such as restoring water and sewage networks, clearing debris and rebuilding health infrastructure, the European Commission said in a statement.
But the size of the fund falls critically short of the tens of billions estimated to be needed to rebuild the Palestinian enclave amid Israel's genocidal war, which continues to kill Palestinians and create dire humanitarian conditions.
The statement said Spain, France, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden and Belgium, as well as the World Bank and the European Investment Bank, are participating in the initiative, alongside the Commission. Australia and Canada are also expected to join.
„Today we are presenting an initial package of almost €900 million, or $1 billion,” said Dubravka Suica, EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean, ahead of the pledging meeting. „Our goal is clear: to build hope, resilience and a better future for the Palestinian people.”
The funding is intended to help provide basic water and sanitation services to the population, clear debris and trash, and restore health, energy, agriculture, and food systems.
No details were given on how much each partner would contribute. Suica said the donors „want to start with what is called early recovery, and it is very important to show that we are willing to do that.”
„We now need conditions on the ground that allow aid to reach the people of Gaza,” he added.
Although Israel and Hamas agreed to a US-brokered „ceasefire” last October, Israel has consistently violated it.
The intensity of the fighting has decreased, but since the beginning of the „ceasefire,” at least 1,100 Palestinians have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded. Overall, the war has killed at least 73,000 Palestinians.
The EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, called the situation in Gaza „unbearable.” She called for humanitarian access to the enclave and greater political commitment from the Israeli authorities.
„Nine months after the so-called ceasefire, artillery attacks continue, diseases spread, people die,” Lahbib told reporters before announcing the $1 billion fund.
The European Union and the United Nations said in April that more than $71 billion would be needed over the next 10 years to restore and rebuild Gaza.
The Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) report found that $26.3 billion will be needed in the first 18 months to restore basic services, rebuild critical infrastructure, and support Gaza's economic recovery.
