By Ebad Ahmed
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AA) - Denmark on Tuesday pledged an additional 50 million Danish krones ($7.1 million) to assist the civilian population of Gaza and the West Bank amid the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region, with a continued siege and airstrikes on the Gaza Strip.
Dan Jorgensen, the development cooperation and global climate policy minister, said: “The humanitarian situation especially in Gaza is very critical. Therefore, we are increasing the humanitarian emergency aid by 50 million krones, aimed at meeting the dire needs of the civilian population in a tragic situation.”
Of the aid, 33 million krones ($4.7 million) will be given to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees or UNRWA to support urgent humanitarian needs for civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, while the remaining 17 million krones ($2.4 million) is expected to support efforts by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza to deliver emergency aid, treat the wounded, and humanitarian diplomacy, including negotiations for humanitarian access.
The aid donation is solely aimed at meeting the basic needs of the civilians, including access to water, food, and shelter, said a Danish Foreign Ministry statement.
“Consequently, the humanitarian aid is excluded from the government’s decision announced on Oct. 10 to put Danish development assistance to Palestine on hold, while conducting a thorough review,” it added.
“According to the United Nations, 1.3 million civilians out of 2.2 million inhabitants in Gaza and the West Bank currently need humanitarian aid. It is estimated that up to 1 million civilians have fled to other areas of Gaza during the past week, and that approximately 2,780 persons have died in Gaza, including 724 children,” the statement said.
Last week Israel imposed a “total siege” on the Gaza Strip, depriving it of water, electricity, and food, while continuing a campaign of airstrikes following the Oct. 7 attack by Palestinian group Hamas.
International human rights groups and many world leaders have called the siege and airstrikes collective punishment, which is banned under international law, with some saying these also constitute war crimes.