Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The numbers of Palestinian deaths and injuries continue to rise in light of the continued bombing and incursions carried out by the Israeli occupation forces. Coinciding with the 213 anniversary of the beginning of the escalation in the region, the number of Palestinian deaths is approaching 35,000 people and the number of injured is approximately 80,000 people. In conjunction with this, the European Commission in Brussels said Mr. Janez Lenarčić, Commissioner of the Crisis Management File, will receive Mr. Riyad Al-Maliki, former Foreign Minister and Special Envoy of President Abbas and Advisor for International Affairs to the Palestinian Authority. It is noteworthy that two weeks ago, the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, issued a decision appointing Riyad Najib Al-Maliki as Advisor to the President of the State for International Affairs, and his envoy. The Palestinian official will discuss with the Europeans the latest developments on the Palestinian scene and the crushing humanitarian crisis resulting from the practices of the occupation forces.
Late last month, the European Commission announced the allocation of 68 million euros to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in Gaza and the region.
A UNHCR statement said: “In light of the continuing deterioration of the severe humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the steady rise in needs on the ground, UNHCR is working to increase its funding to support Palestinians affected by the ongoing war.”
He explained, "The European Union has allocated an additional amount of 68 million euros in the form of humanitarian aid, which will be directed through partner organizations that help the Palestinians in Gaza and throughout the region."
The Commission noted that the new EU support aims to "increase much-needed food aid, and support nutrition, health, water, sanitation and shelter." With this support, the total humanitarian aid provided by the European Union to the Palestinians in Gaza and the region during 2024 reaches 193 million euros, according to the statement.
On the ground, a number of citizens were martyred, at dawn on Monday, and others were injured, as a result of the occupation bombing of the city of Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
According to the latest events on the 213th day of the occupation’s aggression against the Gaza Strip, 22 Palestinians, including 8 children, were martyred as a result of occupation raids that targeted 11 homes in the Palestinian Rafah since yesterday evening.
The Palestinian Wafa News Agency reported that 22 martyrs, including eight children, were killed as a result of Israeli occupation raids that targeted 11 homes in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip.
They explained that 4 martyrs, including two children, were killed in an Israeli bombing that targeted a house for the Abu Lebda family in the Al-Geneina neighborhood, east of the city of Rafah, while 9 martyrs, including 4 children, died as a result of an Israeli bombing that targeted a house for the Qishta family in the Al-Salam neighborhood in the Palestinian city of Rafah.
4 citizens, including an infant, were martyred as a result of the occupation warplanes bombing a house on George Street, east of the city of Rafah. An air strike also targeted Khirbet Al-Adas, northeast of the city.
Earlier yesterday, civil defense crews in Gaza Governorate had recovered 5 decomposed bodies of martyrs from the Al-Jaabari family, whose house was targeted near the Palestine Stadium in the city.
Medical sources announced that the death toll in the Gaza Strip had risen to 34,683, and injuries to 78,018, since the start of the Israeli aggression on October 7th.
The sources indicated that thousands of citizens are still missing under the rubble and on the roads, and that the occupation is preventing ambulance and civil defense crews from reaching them.