Brussels pledges €900 million for Gaza as political rifts persist

At a donor meeting in Brussels, the European Commission introduced the Team Gaza Initiative, an effort to synchronize recovery projects with partners including Japan, Norway, and the World Bank. While the funding targets the restoration of essential water, electricity, and sewage infrastructure, observers argue that money cannot compensate for a lack of political leverage. Hugh Lovatt of the European Council on Foreign Relations contends that the Palestinian Authority remains in financial ruin due to Israeli sanctions, which the EU has yet to effectively challenge.

The UNRWA impasse

Deep divisions remain regarding the future of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). While the U.S. Board of Peace has sought to sideline the agency, describing it as a proxy for Hamas, European officials insist on its necessity until a legitimate Palestinian government can assume control. MEP Villy Søvndal emphasized that current humanitarian efforts are perpetually undermined by the destruction of donor-funded infrastructure, calling for concrete consequences for ongoing violations of international law. With reconstruction costs estimated at $71.4 billion over the next decade, the gap between the EU's humanitarian model and the U.S.-led vision for the Strip remains a significant hurdle to long-term stability.