The Danish government announced on Tuesday the allocation of over 14 million dollars in humanitarian aid to Gaza and the West Bank as the situation deteriorates in the Palestinian territories.
The Danish government stated in a statement: “The government is making an exceptional humanitarian contribution to Gaza and the West Bank of 100 million Danish kroner (14.55 million dollars).” The statement highlighted that the Danish aid aims to support “vital efforts” such as providing clean drinking water, food, medical care, treatment of patients and the injured, in addition to protecting emergency services workers. The aid will be distributed through Danish civil society organizations operating in Palestine, the United Nations World Food Programme, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Denmark expressed its support for the new mechanism established by the UN Security Council to address the catastrophic situation in Gaza. The statement also mentioned that Denmark, in addition to providing aid, continues to apply political and diplomatic pressure on Israel to open additional border crossings with Gaza, while Danish Foreign Minister Lars Rasmussen emphasized on Tuesday that Israel bears the responsibility for delivering aid to the sector. Following the “Hamas” attack on Israel on October 7, Denmark had decided to suspend all its development and development assistance to the Palestinian National Authority.
The recent war in Gaza, which began on October 7, 2023, has resulted in significant human loss and destruction, marking the most substantial escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in decades. This conflict saw a surprise attack by Hamas, leading to the deaths of 1,139 Israelis and foreigners, including 766 civilians and 373 security personnel, and the abduction of 253 individuals to Gaza. Hamas’s offensive was described as a major intelligence failure for Israel and was said to be in response to various grievances, including the continued Israeli occupation and the blockade of the Gaza Strip. In retaliation, Israel declared war on Hamas, tightening its blockade on Gaza and initiating one of the most severe bombing campaigns in recent history, followed by a ground invasion aimed at destroying Hamas .
As of early April 2024, more than 33,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, including over 14,000 children and 9,000 women, with several thousand more missing and presumed to be under rubble. The conflict has internally displaced nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million inhabitants and led to a humanitarian crisis, with the healthcare system collapsing and an ongoing famine. Israeli forces have destroyed more than half of Gaza’s houses and hundreds of cultural landmarks. The ground invasion has focused initially on northern Gaza, including Gaza City, and later moved south to attack Khan Yunis. Israeli forces have killed an estimated 9,000 Palestinian militants during the conflict, while Palestinian militants have killed over 250 Israeli soldiers .
