The European Union has unveiled a $1 billion (€900 million) recovery and reconstruction initiative for Gaza, aiming to restore essential services and infrastructure after more than two years of war.
The "Team Gaza Initiative" was launched on Monday during an international donors' conference in Brussels and will finance projects including the restoration of water and sanitation systems, debris removal, healthcare facilities, energy infrastructure and agricultural recovery.
EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica said the initiative is intended to help rebuild hope and resilience for Palestinians.
"Our objective is clear: to help build hope, resilience and a better future for the Palestinian people," Šuica said ahead of the meeting.
The European Commission said the initiative brings together the Commission, the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and several countries, including Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, Japan and the United Kingdom. Australia and Canada are also expected to join.
The funding will support the restoration of basic services, including clean water and sanitation, healthcare, energy supplies, food systems and waste management.
However, the package remains well below the estimated amount required to rebuild the Palestinian territory.
According to a European Union-United Nations Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment released in April, more than $71 billion will be needed over the next decade for Gaza's recovery and reconstruction.
The report estimates that $26.3 billion will be required during the first 18 months alone to restore critical infrastructure, essential public services and economic activity.
EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib described conditions in Gaza as "unbearable" and called for expanded humanitarian access and stronger political engagement.
"Nine months after the so-called ceasefire, shelling continues, disease is spreading, people are dying," Lahbib said.
Although Israel and Hamas agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire last year, violence has continued, with fighting, humanitarian shortages and displacement persisting across Gaza.
