Amman (dpa) – Germany is stepping up support for the suffering civilian population in the Gaza Strip with €50m of emergency humanitarian aid. The funds are aimed at helping international organisations such as the World Food Programme, UNICEF, and the UN relief programme for Palestine UNRWA. This was announced by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in a joint appearance with her Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi in the Jordanian capital Amman.
Baerbock said the funds were to help “Palestinians who have also become victims of the Hamas terrorist attacks.” She said Germany’s focus was on improving healthcare provision. The Islamist Hamas organisation attacked Israel on 7 October in a bloody terror attack. Israel initially responded with air attacks and the Gaza Strip was sealed off.
Baerbock and Safadi called for a negotiated solution to the Gaza war which must result in a two-state solution. At the same time they stressed their desire to do all they could to prevent a wider conflagration in the Middle East. This was the second time Baerbock and Safadi had met within a week. Following her visit to Jordan the Federal Foreign Minister travelled to Israel, after which she intends to go on to Lebanon.
Baerbock again assured Israel of the “unbreakable solidarity” of Germany’s Federal Government. She spoke about the dilemma Israel faces: Hamas terrorism must be combated, but at the same time, more civilian victims would create a fertile breeding ground for terrorism, which could cause divisions within those countries in the region which are working towards peace and security, she said.
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