The international community commits more than 1 billion euros in Paris for humanitarian aid to Gaza | International

Emmanuel Macron tried this Thursday in Paris to mobilize dozens of representatives of countries and international organizations to send humanitarian aid to Gaza and press for a truce to prepare a future ceasefire. The participants committed more than 1 billion euros, according to sources at the Elysée Palace. The UN had assessed the immediate needs between now and the end of the year at 1.1 billion. A portion of the sum that was announced had already been committed in recent weeks.

“Today the situation is serious and deteriorates more every day,” said Macron at the opening of the conference, at the Elysee Palace. “A very quick humanitarian pause and action for a ceasefire is necessary. “We must create the necessary space for humanitarian actors to act in Gaza.”

It was the first time Macron publicly used the word “ceasefire,” which has been the subject of semantic discussions in Western capitals since Israeli bombing in Gaza began to intensify following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7. The statement coincides with the announcement by the White House of four-hour daily pauses in Israel's military operations to facilitate the evacuation of civilians from the northern Gaza Strip to the southern Palestinian enclave and access to humanitarian aid. .

“Thousands of dead children cannot be collateral damage,” said Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees, at the Elysée. “Taking millions of people from their homes and concentrating them in areas without adequate infrastructure is forced displacement. Severely limiting food, water and medicine is collective punishment,” Lazzarini stressed.

Other initiatives proposed during the conference include Jordan's airdrop of medical supplies to Gaza and the opening of a maritime corridor with Cyprus.

Macron decided to call the conference a few days ago, taking advantage of the celebration of the so-called Paris Peace Forum, an annual call to promote multilateralism. For the French president, it was about accelerating the international response to the humanitarian needs of Gaza, where Israeli bombings have already caused more than 10,000 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian enclave. He also sought to show French leadership at a time of difficulty in Europe to sharpen the message and influence the conflict. Most delegations were of ministerial rank or below. Israel did not attend the meeting.

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