Belgium is partnering with the European Union to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza, the European Commission announced on Thursday. The transport will be coordinated with the Ministry of Defence and the City of Brussels.
The aid consists of 240 tonnes of supplies collected by the Brussels-based charity Human Smile, including hygiene items, mattresses, sleeping bags and pillows, as well as baby milk powder and other aid for Palestinians in need, according to a statement.
The Commission is supporting the delivery of the cargo and covering the transport costs of the operation. The cargo will be transported to Jordan by sea and delivered to the Hashemite Charity Organisation of Jordan before being transported to Gaza.
This new delivery comes on top of the more than 2,600 tonnes delivered so far by 55 flights of the EU Humanitarian Air Bridge.
“To tackle such a dramatic crisis, we must think outside the box and explore new ways of working together to alleviate the suffering of civilians in Gaza. It is essential that all land routes for aid to Gaza are opened and used to their full capacity. I urge all parties to allow rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to and within Gaza,” stressed European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic.
For the years 2023 and 2024, the EU has allocated more than €290 million in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, focusing on sectors such as food, nutrition, health, water and sanitation, and protection.
This article is originally published on msn.com
