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German Government supports civilian population in Gaza
Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle today (22 November) pledged 1.5 million euros in humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza.
Foreign Minister Westerwelle said in Berlin today (22 November):
“I welcome the fact that the ceasefire announced yesterday has been observed so far. This was a first move in the right direction. More such steps must follow if a durable truce is to be achieved now in what continues to be a tense situation.
Several days of violence have claimed numerous victims in both Israel and the Gaza Strip. Many injured people still need medical treatment in what can only be described as difficult circumstances.
Life for people in the Gaza Strip is far from normal. Germany is therefore making available 1.5 million euros for emergency medical treatment there.
We consider this as yet another contribution towards giving people in the Gaza Strip the prospect of a real future, without which peaceful coexistence will not materialize.”
The Federal Foreign Office is in close touch with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva. The funds are to be used for medical treatment in Gaza, among other things.
The German Government has made available a total of 7.3 million euros in 2012 for humanitarian assistance to the people in Gaza. Of that amount, 5.6 million went to UNWRA, 1.5 million to the ICRC and 260,000 to the food-for-work programme.
