EU – Gaza
The EU is increasing its humanitarian aid to Gaza by EUR 25 million, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday in her speech at the annual EU ambassadors’ conference. With this, the European Union is spending a total of EUR 100 million on humanitarian aid for civilians in Gaza. The humanitarian situation is critical, von der Leyen said. She also stressed the importance both of standing behind Israel and of supporting civilians in Gaza. “While Israel has the right to fight Hamas, it is important that it strives to avoid civilian deaths,” she said. More than 10,000 people have been reported killed in Gaza since October 7, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry. /ritzau/