Dutch gov't gives €5 mil. to new UN envoy Kaag's mission to help Gaza
The Netherlands is earmarking 5 million euros for Sigrid Kaag’s United Nations mission to aid Gaza, outgoing Minister Geoffrey van Leeuwen of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation said on Sven op 1.
Kaag stepped down as outgoing Finance Minister earlier this month to become the special UN envoy focused on ensuring quicker aid to the Palestinian people and later coordinating the Gaza Strip’s reconstruction. Van Leeuwen consulted with her about the aid mission today.
Israel started bombing the Gaza Strip on October 7, after attacks by Hamas in Israel killed about 1,200 people. Since then, Israeli bombings have killed some 24,000 people in the Gaza Strip, including over 10,000 children, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The Netherlands has given about 50 million euros for aid to Gaza in the past three months. The Dutch government hasn’t called for a cease-fire and has abstained from voting on UN resolutions demanding one.
Last week, South Africa accused Israel of genocidal acts against the Palestinian people in the International Court of Justice in The Hague. South Africa argued that Israel violated the United Nations Genocide Convention by killing and forcing thousands of Palestinians to flee.
Israel denied the allegations, arguing that it was defending its own people from Hamas.
