The European Union‑led donor coalition announced a commitment of €883.6 million to support Gaza’s early recovery. The funding is earmarked for water and sanitation infrastructure, waste removal, basic health services, energy, agriculture and food systems.

Israeli air strikes continue to hit Gaza almost daily, raising serious concerns about whether the pledged money can reach the intended projects. Since the ceasefire that followed the 2025 US peace plan entered its first phase, conditions for the territory’s two million residents have barely improved, according to UNICEF officials.

UNICEF is currently delivering water, food and basic health care, but many Palestinians remain in tents after three years of conflict. The agency’s field teams are trucking clean water and providing basic food, yet the underlying infrastructure remains unrepaired.

Data from the United Nations show that Israeli forces carried out attacks on 246 of the 273 days counted up to 9 July, resulting in more than 1,092 deaths and 3,507 injuries. A UN investigation released the previous month concluded that Israeli operations deliberately targeted children even after the ceasefire was in place.

More than half of the water supplied to Gaza leaks before reaching households, and about 82 % of families experience water insecurity. Health facilities operate with limited equipment, and shelter supplies are short because Israel blocks large aid shipments.

Large piles of mixed solid waste, including medical waste, food scraps, broken vehicles and unexploded ordnance, have been observed in Gaza City and Deir al‑Balah, creating breeding grounds for rodents. The recent European heatwave has pushed temperatures in Gaza above 40 °C, adding further strain to public‑health conditions.

The Palestine Donor Group, created in 2025 and chaired by the European Commission, outlined how the €883 million will be used. Planned actions include repairing leaking pipelines, installing temporary water‑treatment units, clearing hazardous waste and establishing mobile health clinics. If fully deployed, the assistance could provide clean water to an additional 500,000 residents and reduce water‑borne disease rates.

The European Union estimates the total cost of a full Gaza recovery at over US$71 billion (about €62 billion), meaning the new pledge represents less than 1.5 % of the overall requirement. An EU investigation found that projects worth €150 million funded by the EU have already been destroyed by Israeli strikes, and the actual loss is likely higher when bilateral projects are included. Since 2020 the EU has formally requested compensation from Israel more than a dozen times without reaching a settlement.

Following a visit by Commissioner Dubravka Šuica, Israel agreed to proceed with two early‑recovery projects on water and sanitation. However, campaign strategists from the European Left Alliance argue that separating humanitarian aid from the political context is a false dichotomy and call for the EU to end all forms of cooperation with Israel.

The European Left Alliance launched a European Citizens’ Initiative to suspend the EU‑Israel trade agreement. The petition closed on 15 July with 1,228,012 signatures and will be reviewed by the European Commission, which has six months to respond. Two days before the petition deadline, the EU Foreign Affairs Council failed to reach agreement on suspending trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, while Israel approved a US$2.3 billion construction programme to build 12,000 new settlement homes.

The Hamas administration that governed Gaza was dissolved last week, allowing for a technocratic Palestinian authority, but Israel has blocked the handover. EU public discussion has emphasised rebuilding Gaza while the party responsible for the destruction remains unpunished.

The success of the €883 million projects depends on the ceasefire holding, Israel permitting aid convoys and continued EU pressure for accountability. The ongoing heatwave is adding strain to European utilities and exacerbating Gaza’s public‑health emergency.