The German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze has met with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini to discuss the unfolding tragedy in the Gaza Strip.
Lazzarini, who was able to visit the Gaza Strip on 1 November for the first time since the war began, told Minister Schulze that the situation there is getting worse from one hour to the next. More than 10,000 people have reportedly been killed in just four weeks, among them 92 UNRWA staff members.
UNRWA is a lifeline for the people of Gaza as food, water, fuel, and medicine are running out, but the trickle of aid to the besieged territory means that the Agency and other humanitarian actors are struggling to keep pace with the immense needs.
“We need a humanitarian ceasefire now. We need safe, unrestricted, and continuous humanitarian access for essential supplies including fuel to enter the Gaza Strip,” the Commissioner-General said during the meeting at the UNRWA Headquarters in Amman on 7 November.
“Germany is a longstanding supporter and partner of UNRWA with a strong commitment to development in the region. This is particularly important as UNRWA plays a lead role in responding to the dire needs in Gaza, while maintaining its critical services in all its fields of operations.”
Minister Schulze said: “UNRWA is the most important partner for providing assistance to the people in the Gaza Strip. We must not abandon this agency if a peaceful future for Israel and the Palestinian territories is to be achieved. This is also in the security interest of Israel and of the millions of people in the Palestinian territories who want to live in peace. Germany will do its share.“
Germany is UNRWA’s second-largest donor. In 2022, it contributed over EUR 190 million. To date this year, it has contributed EUR 105.5 million, including EUR 19 million for UNRWA’s Emergency Appeal announced by the German Federal Foreign Office three weeks ago.
Minister Schulze told the Commissioner-General that her ministry intends to continue its cooperation with UNRWA. She announced a EUR 91 million package of support, including planned commitments and new funding.
This amount includes EUR 20 million to help ease the burden on UNRWA’s operational budget, including staff salaries. UNRWA has almost 30,000 staff. Two-thirds of them are teachers, with others including doctors and nurses.
