EU planning to allocate €1.6B to support Palestine

The European Union is set to announce a €1.6 billion aid package for Palestine, the Financial Times writes, citing a statement from European Commissioner for Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica.

As noted, the organization is concerned about the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and is calling on Israel to lift the blockade of the Palestinian enclave and allow humanitarian assistance to resume there.

“The EU intends to allocate €1.6 billion to support Palestine… Brussels will announce a new package of €1.2 billion in grants and up to €400 million in loans from the European Investment Bank and the European Fund for the Sustainable Development of the Palestinian Authority,” the publication quoted Šuica as saying.

As the EU commissioner noted, approximately €620 million will be directed toward financial support for the authorities, while about €576 million will go to the reconstruction of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

To remind, on the night of March 18, the Israel Defense Forces resumed strikes on the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the attacks would continue as Hamas refused to accept the U.S. plan for extending the ceasefire and releasing hostages.