During this morning’s meeting at the Foreign Ministry with the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, Mohammed Mustafa, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Antonio Tajani, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian population.
Since 7 October Italy has been at the forefront of the response to the humanitarian emergency in the Gaza Strip. After the first two aid packages already allocated for a total of EUR 20 million, the government has decided to prepare a third package, precisely as part of the “Food for Gaza” initiative launched by the Deputy Prime Minister to provide concrete aid for the food security and health of Palestinian civilians. Today Minister Tajani announced that the initially planned allocation of EUR 20 million for the “Food for Gaza” initiative has been increased to EUR 30 million.
Furthermore, Minister Tajani ordered the resumption of funding to UNRWA. Following the work carried out by the Independent Commission chaired by former French Minister Colonna and the measures to protect the principle of neutrality, Italy is considering the allocation of EUR 5 million to UNRWA: 2 million for projects in the West Bank and 3 million for Palestinian refugees in Syria, the Lebanon and Jordan – countries that host important Palestinian communities in vulnerable conditions.
In this way, the third aid package would amount to EUR 35 million, bringing the total Italian response since 7 October to 55 million.
In parallel, Italy’s work on the humanitarian front is continuing. Over the last few months, 156 Palestinian citizens have been exfiltrated from the Gaza Strip, including 58 injured minors who have benefited from the care of hospitals in Italy and their carers. There is also cooperation with the United Arab Emirates, where teams of Italian doctors have been sent to visit and treat some paediatric patients with serious injuries, transported from Gaza.
