RAMALLAH (dpa-AFX) – Germany is increasing its humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories by a further 38 million euros in view of the suffering of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced this on Saturday after a conversation with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtaje in Ramallah in the West Bank. This means that Germany will make a total of over 160 million euros available for the Palestinian territories this year.
“Every life is worth the same. And every person in Israel and every person in Palestine has a right to live in peace and security,” emphasized the Green politician. The humanitarian breaks are an important first step for the people of Gaza. “These must be further expanded,” demanded the Federal Foreign Minister. The hospitals in the north of the Gaza Strip in particular must also have security of supply.
In the evening (local time) Baerbock wanted to meet Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and opposition leader Jair Lapid in the coastal metropolis of Tel Aviv. A conversation was also planned with the opposition politician Benny Gantz, who is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war cabinet.
Baerbock’s trip will focus on the situation of the hostages in the hands of the Islamist Hamas, the humanitarian situation of civilians in the Gaza Strip and a possible future peace through a two-state solution. Baerbock is in Israel and the Middle East region for the third time since the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas on October 7th./bk/DP/mis