Tánaiste announces funding package to assist children in Palestine
- Foilsithe:
- An t-eolas is déanaí:
• €4 million aid package to help children’s education and vulnerable families • Irish support for people in Palestine reaches €80 million • Tánaiste: ‘Next few days represent window of hope for delivering ceasefire’
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Harris, today announced a funding package of €4 million which will support children in Palestine to access education.
Today’s announcement includes €3 million for children’s education, €700,000 to organisations working in the area of human rights, and €300,000 to support public services and vulnerable families.
The funding will be used support the delivery of teacher training, the provision of school materials and the rehabilitation of school buildings.
Today’s announcement by the Tánaiste brings Ireland’s support to the people of Gaza and Palestine to €26 million this year alone, and to almost €80 million since October 2023.
It comes as the Tánaiste warned that there the next few days represents a “window of hope for delivering a ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas.
Announcing the funding, the Tánaiste said:
“The funding I am announcing today will help deliver access to education at a time when so many children’s lives are being destroyed by this catastrophic war.
“This funding will provide children and teachers with school materials and rehabilitate school buildings that have been damaged or destroyed.
“It will also be used to assist human rights groups in carrying out their fundamental work and to deliver public services in this troubled region.”
The Tánaiste added:
“Our support for schools is a critical part of Ireland’s longstanding partnership with Palestine. In Gaza, our ongoing support for UNRWA continues to deliver vital remote learning to almost 300,000 children living in a war zone.
“Since Israel launched a military operation in the West Bank in January, more than 40,000 people have been displaced. It is vital that the international community maintains its focus on the violence and displacement occurring in the West Bank.”
Welcoming the funding today, Minister of State with responsibility for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond, said:
“Ireland is supporting Palestinian and Israeli organisations to defend human rights at a time when they are under immense pressure. We are also working in partnership with the European Union to support the Palestinian Authority to deliver public services. These efforts will make a tangible difference to the lives of thousands of Palestinians.”
In conclusion, the Tánaiste said that the next few days is crucial in delivering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
The Tánaiste added:
“The next few days represent a window of hope that must be seized upon in order to end the war and end the bloodshed.
“I welcome the indications of potential peace-talks, which I discussed at length this week with the Prime Minister of Qatar, who was is playing a leading role in the ceasefire efforts.
“It is vital now that all parties do everything they can to find a way forward and put these peace-talks on a formal footing.”