World Bank announces $20M emergency relief for people of Gaza

The World Bank on Tuesday announced $20 million in new financing to provide emergency relief for the people of Gaza.

It includes $10 million in new financing for food vouchers and parcels, approved by the World Bank board of directors, which is estimated to reach 377,000 people.

The assistance will be delivered through the World Food Program, as it comes from the Emergency Social Protection and Jobs COVID-19 Response Project, the institution said in a statement.

The new financing is part of an overall $35 million package of support for Gaza, while the initial $15 million for emergency relief has already been delivered.

"In addition, the World Bank's Health Emergency & Preparedness Trust Fund Program has allocated $10 million, provided by Japan and Germany, for medical care and supplies for humanitarian purposes. This will be delivered through UNICEF and the World Health Organization, as part of the Gaza Health Emergency Response Project which will provide an estimated 10 percent of the population of Gaza with emergency medical care," the statement said.

While the financing is drawn from project restructurings and contingency response activations from the World Bank's active portfolio and trust funds for the West Bank and Gaza, it is directed to support the urgently needed delivery of food, water and health services.


It also includes medical supplies, equipment, and emergency health care, hygiene kits, potable water, and water purification tablets, according to the institution.