Europe and a roster of allies on Monday promised Gaza $1 billion, but it's a down payment on a bill that's much, much larger. The European Commission announced the "Team Gaza Initiative," a package of aid projects aimed at basic recovery in the enclave more than 2½ years after the Israel-Hamas war erupted in October 2023. The money will go toward clearing rubble, repairing water and sewage systems, and reviving health services, the commission said after a donors' meeting in Brussels, Reuters reports. "Our objective is clear: to help build hope, resilience and a better future for the Palestinian people," said EU Commissioner Dubravka Suica.
Participants include Spain, Germany, and France, along with Britain, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, the World Bank, and the European Investment Bank; Australia and Canada are expected to join. President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner attended the meeting. UN estimates put Gaza's reconstruction cost at about $70 billion. Most of the territory's roughly 2 million residents remain displaced, many in tents or damaged structures, as Israeli forces maintain control over much of the strip in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls a buffer zone. The EU did not say how the new money would be divided among partners. "The ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile, and the situation on the ground for civilians is not getting better," Suica said, per the AP.
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