New Delhi: The European Union (EU) declared an immediate cessation of funding to the Palestinian territories in response to Hamas’s weekend assault on Israel, resulting in over 700 deaths in Israel and more than 560 in retaliatory strikes in Gaza.
The European Union, the principal aid donor to the Palestinian territories, has suspended funding, affecting a total of EUR 691 million from the entire EU development portfolio. EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi stated that this decision follows a thorough review.
The scale of terror and brutality against Israel and its people is a turning point,” Mr. Varhelyi wrote on X. “There can be no business as usual,” he said.
All ongoing projects are underway with immediate suspension of payments, according to Mr. Varhelyi.
The EU had allocated a planned total of EUR 1.8 billion in funding for Palestinian territories (the West Bank and Gaza) from 2021 to 2024. Austria and Germany also declared the temporary suspension of their bilateral aid to Palestinian territories on Monday.
The EU Chief Spokesperson, Eric Mamer, during a press briefing on Monday said that the EU does not provide funding for Hamas activities, reiterating that the bloc had previously classified Hamas as a terrorist group.
EU foreign ministers are expected to have an informal meeting on Tuesday to address the suspension of funding.