UN calls for nearly $3 billion in donations for Gaza Strip and West Bank

The United Nations relies on solidarity. The UN will launch an appeal on Wednesday for $2.8 billion in donations to help the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip and West Bank in 2024, the head of the UN humanitarian office in the Palestinian territories said on Tuesday.

“Tomorrow we will publish a call for donations until the end of the year. Together with the humanitarian community, we are calling for $2.8 billion to help the 3 million people identified in the West Bank and Gaza,” Andrea De Domenico said in a video press conference. “Obviously, 90% is for Gaza,” he clarified, noting that the humanitarian plan for 2024 was initially estimated at 4 billion, but was reduced to 2.8 billion, given restrictions on access to “humanitarian aid” in the Gaza Strip.

Emergency Donations

Days after Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 and the launch of the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, the UN responded with an initial appeal for $294 million in emergency donations.

In early November, the appeal was revised to $1.2 billion to meet the most urgent needs of 2.7 million people in the Palestinian territories (2.2 million in Gaza, 500,000 in the West Bank through the end of 2023).