Gaza: Germany releases aid of 50 million euros for civilians

Strong support for the population of the Gaza Strip. Germany will unblock with immediate effect 50 million euros in additional aid for the civilian population of Gaza which is facing a “catastrophic” humanitarian situation, announced Thursday, October 19, the head of German diplomacy Annalena Baerbock visiting Jordan

“Our message is clear: we do not abandon innocent Palestinian mothers, fathers and children“, declared the minister during a press conference in Amman alongside her Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi, according to comments transmitted by her ministry.

With this additional help, “we support international organizations like the World Food Program, Unicef ​​and especially Unrwa (UN agency for Palestinian refugees, editor’s note) so that the inhabitants of Gaza can be supplied with food,” said Annalena Baerbock. “We are preparing to be able to send medical teams to Gaza“, she added.

Germany reaffirms “its unwavering solidarity” with Israel

Welcoming “the signals” giving hope for an “at least limited” opening of the Rafah crossing point, between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, Annalena Baerbock called on all stakeholders concerned to “overcome the last obstacles” to achieve this.

“We need places in Gaza where civilians, families and children can be treated safelythat is to say places of civil infrastructure, hospitals and schools”, said the head of German diplomacy, who ensures that she is working in this direction.

Jordan is the first stop on a tour of the Middle East of the German minister who still has to go, until Saturday, in Israel and Lebanon. Annalena Baerbock had already visited Israel and Egypt last week.

Before her departure on Thursday, she had reaffirmed Germany’s “unwavering solidarity” with Israel and denounced “Hamas’ perfidious calculation of exposing the Palestinian civilian population to death, distress and suffering.”

Improving humanitarian aid to Gaza

Describing the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic”, she considered it “essential that international aid, food, water and medical care reach the residents of Gaza quickly and unhindered“.

During this trip, she also wants to “discuss with all those who have channels with Hamas how the hostages can be released“Several people with German nationality were kidnapped by Hamas during the massive attack on Israel on October 7.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, for his part, visited Israel and Lebanon on Thursday. In this country, he met German soldiers who participate in UNIFILthe United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

In Israel, more than 1,400 people have been killed since the start of the warmost of the civilians killed on the day of the Hamas attack, according to Israeli authorities, and the number of Hamas hostages increased to 203 people. Israel responded with massive bombings of the Gaza Strip. Nearly 3,700 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-controlled Palestinian Health Ministry.