Payments from the EU to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) will continue from this week (March 4). First, 50 million euros will be transferred, and another 32 million euros will follow later in the year, in two tranches.
The EU Commission was suspended for a month with pay because the Israeli government accused twelve of its employees of collaborating with the radical Islamist Hamas.
After long negotiations, UNRWA previously agreed to the EU's conditions for the disbursement of funds. The UN Internal Audit Department will conduct an investigation into the allegations against the employees. The EU will also carry out a review with its own experts.
The head of UNRWA, Philip Lazzarini, stated in an exchange of letters with the EU Commission that his organization is not involved in Hamas' terrorist crimes and that all 13.000 employees who have worked in the Gaza Strip so far will be re-vetted.
An international team of experts is drawing up recommendations for UNRWA to prevent possible cooperation with Hamas.
At a meeting with EU foreign ministers on February 12, Lazarini complained that Israel had not provided any evidence of its employees' involvement in terrorist acts. The foreign ministers then acknowledged that in the current war situation, UNRWA is necessary to provide at least the basic needs of the population in the Gaza Strip.
According to the UN spokesperson, the world organization is still waiting for documents and intelligence documents from Israel.
EU increases humanitarian aid to 250 million euros
The EU Commission also announced that it will increase humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip by 68 million euros. These new funds should preferably be used by international humanitarian organizations such as the Red Cross or the Red Crescent. The funds will be made available in addition to the already planned 125 million euros for this year.
The total amount of EU humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, which can be used by UNRWA or other international organizations, is therefore - 250 million euros.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said about the increase in aid: "We stand with the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and elsewhere in the region." Innocent Palestinians should not have to pay the price for the crimes of Hamas terrorists. Due to the lack of adequate access to food and basic necessities, they are in dire, life-threatening conditions."
The EU Commission is the third largest donor to UNRWA. A key question for UNRWA is how the biggest and second largest donors - the US and Germany - which also suspended their payments in January, now position themselves.
If the US and Germany do not make the payments as planned, UNRWA will have serious payment difficulties at the end of the month.
The EU does not have a single position on the conflict
The position on the situation in the Gaza Strip and this conflict is not uniform in all 27 EU member states.
Germany wants to provide humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, but refrains from criticizing Israel.
A military operation against the terrorist organization Hamas is justified and necessary, says Berlin. German Foreign Minister Analena Berbock announced a further increase in humanitarian aid on Thursday.
Like the UN, it is calling for a "humanitarian ceasefire". Then the hostages could be released and further suffering of the civilian population could be avoided, Berbock wrote on Platform X.
Other EU members, such as Spain and Ireland, are critical of Israel and have written to the European Commission asking it to temporarily suspend the EU's partnership agreement with Israel. EU Commission spokesman Eric Mamer in Brussels said the Commission is currently considering the request.
The terrorist attack by Hamas in October caused major Israeli military action in the Gaza Strip, which reportedly killed more than 30.000 Palestinian civilians.
Hamas refuses to give up the armed struggle against Israeli troops and to release the hostages kidnapped in Gaza.
