BERLIN
Germany has announced an additional $11.5 million (8.5 million euros) aid package for the blockaded Gaza Strip in order to ease civilians' growing suffering amid Israel’s ongoing military operation.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a written statement Thursday that "The escalation of violence in Gaza has again led to the suffering of many people, fleeing their homes."
He said that the aid would be used to support humanitarian activities by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and other NGOs for nutritional and health services.
"As often happens, most of those affected are those who have already been living under difficult conditions," he said. "In this current crisis we must not forget these people."
Germany provided $670,000 in humanitarian aid at the beginning of the crisis, however Israel has since pounded the besieged strip with missiles in the ostensible aim of halting rocket fire from the region.
In a Wednesday statement, Steinmeier called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian resistance faction Hamas.
"Everything must be done to avoid civilian casualties and to comply with international humanitarian law," he said. "We call on both sides to agree to an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and resume the path for negotiations on a long-term truce based on the Egyptian proposal."
Egypt, which shares borders with both Israel and Gaza, had earlier tabled an initiative that calls on both Israel and Palestinian factions to halt all hostilities.
The initiative, which also calls for reopening Gaza crossings, was initially accepted by Tel Aviv, but rejected by Palestinians for "not meeting the demands of the people of Gaza."
At least 1,372 Palestinians have been killed and over 7,000 others injured in unrelenting Israeli aerial, naval and ground attacks. The majority of the dead and injured are civilians, a considerable proportion of whom are children, women and the elderly.
Gaza-based resistance factions, meanwhile, have continued to fire rockets at Israeli cities in response to the offensive.
According to official Israeli figures, 53 Israeli soldiers and three civilians have been killed since the hostilities began.
www.aa.com.tr/en
