2 million euros for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
A month ago, the terrorist organization Hamas attacked Israel with unprecedented attacks. Hundreds of people were abducted by Hamas to the Gaza Strip, where they are still detained. Austria expresses full solidarity with Israel and its people and calls for the unconditional and immediate release of the hostages.
However, Hamas continues to systematically use not only hostages but also the Palestinian civilian population as human shields and deliberately builds terrorist infrastructures around hospitals, schools and kindergartens. An international humanitarian conference for the civilian population of Gaza is taking place today in Paris at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron. The Minister of the Chancellery, Susanne Raab, participates on behalf of Austria.
We are working closely with our partners in the region to ensure that humanitarian assistance can be provided to the Palestinian civilian population. It is essential that this support reaches people in need and is not diverted from the terrorist organization Hamas or other terrorist organizations.
Austria is providing the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRK) with €2 million from Austrian Development Agency (ADA) funds.
We work with internationally recognized aid organizations that best understand local needs. In doing so, we ensure that our support for the Palestinian civilian population is consistent with our uncompromising fight against terrorism and anti-Semitism,
said Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
These funds support IFRK in its work to alleviate the humanitarian emergency of the Palestinian civilian population on the ground. IFRK supports Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in the region to respond in the best possible way to the current situation. In this way, it also contributes significantly to the stabilization of neighboring countries. Also includes:
- strengthen the capacity of the Egyptian Red Crescent to coordinate all humanitarian aid deliveries in Egypt;
- support the Lebanese Red Cross in responding to conflict-related incidents;
- the emergency planning of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the Jordanian Red Crescent.
Austria is clearly committed to Israel’s right to self-defense and condemns Hamas’ terror in the strongest possible terms. I will make this clear today in Paris. At the same time, Austria provides humanitarian aid to the Palestinian population and provides an additional 2 million euros. By working with international organizations, we ensure that aid reaches people directly and cannot be used by the terrorist organization Hamas to finance its brutal terrorist activities.
adds Chancellery Minister Susanne Raab.
The exhaustive and open analysis of Austrian development funds for projects in Palestine continues.