Germany and Italy support UNSCR 2803 and President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to end the Gaza Conflict in full coordination with the US Government and the relevant International and regional players.

As crucially foreseen both by the UNSCR 2803 and the Plan, the unhindered resumption of humanitarian assistance, which is indispensable, including for early recovery and stabilization in Gaza, is a key prerequisite. This is where the international community can—and must—deliver immediately.

Italy and Germany intend to be at the forefront of these efforts.

The United Nations and international NGOs are at the core of an effective and coherent humanitarian response. iNGOs and key UN agencies specialized in priority sectors for early relief and recovery — WFP and FAO for food security and agriculture, WHO and INGOs/NGOs for health, UNICEF and Save the children for child protection, NRC for shelter and WASH, UNDP, UNMAS and UNOPS for mine action, debris removal, solid-waste management, housing, fuel and reactivation of basic services —must be empowered and properly resourced to ensure accountability and operational neutrality.

As part of their engagement, our countries engage with the Civil Military Coordination Centre (CMCC), to help ensuring the needed predictability, transparency and safety of humanitarian operations.

Humanitarian assistance must remain anchored in core humanitarian principles, in compliance with IHL and reflective of realities on the ground and pragmatically focused on concrete deliverables.

Time is of the essence, particularly with winter approaching. Winterization, shelter and WASH commodities, medicines and medical supplies, transfer of patients in need to healthcare facilities towards the West Bank and neighboring countries, protection of children and vulnerable groups must be rapidly scaled up. We are already contributing to these efforts and stand ready to intensify support.

Constructive and predictable engagement with Israel is essential to achieve these goals. In the current circumstances, full access and participation in the CMCC stream of work by partner countries, leading UN agencies and international NGOs is necessary to better ensure humanitarian space and enable safe, timely and needs-based delivery of assistance across Gaza as well as to restore key infrastructure and basic services.

Safe frameworks for the movement of international humanitarian personnel and goods — including items classified as dual-use essential for humanitarian operations, especially with regard to the upcoming winter (shelter items) and early recovery – are particularly important. That involves registration procedures.

The viability of humanitarian corridors is of paramount importance to increase volumes, diversify routes and reduce bottlenecks while addressing Israel’s legitimate security concerns. In this context, the reopening of the Jordan corridor is an important and encouraging signal.

The establishment of a Palestinian temporary technocratic committee under the leadership of the Board of Peace, as mandated by UNSCR 2803 remains a priority. Palestinian ownership is needed for the Plan to succeed. Germany and Italy strongly support the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its necessary reform agenda as a key enabler for the progressive reactivation of the PA in Gaza. The PA must be technically and financially supported to prepare for the progressive reactivation of essential services and future reconstruction efforts. A viable stabilization pathway for Gaza requires a reformed, functioning and empowered PA.

The private sector has a fundamental role to play in Gaza’s new beginning, starting from its early recovery. The Food for Gaza initiative has demonstrated how public and private sector can come together and reinforce the work of the UN Rome based Agencies (RBAs) for emergency relief. Such model can be replicated on a larger scale to support the UN Agencies tasked with early recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, on the backdrop of increasing engagement and coordination with Israeli and Palestinian authorities.

OPERATIONAL PROPOSAL

We intend to establish a common platform to coordinate the efforts put forward by the private sector and civil society, leveraging both on our shared partnership with the RBAs and the other leading UN Agencies involved, and on the UNHRD Brindisi base, considered a strategic hub for the swift delivery of critical aid.

We intend to coordinate our joint efforts to strengthen the existing EU-Missions EUBAM Rafah and EUPOL COPPS and to coordinate bilateral initiatives to train and/ or equip Palestinian security forces, including through the Office of the Security Coordinator.