The Gaza Humanitarian Conference held in Paris in November 2023 brought together more than 80 countries and international organizations, all engaged in coordinating aid for the civilian population of the Gaza Strip. This initiative was carried out in response to repeated calls from NGOs and the UN who are sounding the alarm about the disastrous situation in this region.
Emmanuel Macron, French President, called during this conference for a “very rapid humanitarian pause” as well as urgent preparation for a ceasefire. According to him, it is essential to protect civilians, an immediate necessity which cannot be called into question.
Participating countries have announced new aid commitments that exceed one billion euros. These funds will mainly be intended to meet the needs of UNRWA (the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees) to provide assistance to the population of Gaza and the West Bank until the end of 2023, estimated at $1.2 billion.
France also increased its humanitarian aid for the Palestinians from 20 million to 100 million euros for the coming year. Emmanuel Macron called on all countries present to increase their contribution in order to further help this population in distress.
During this conference, participants expressed their concern about the explosive situation in the region. Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner General of UNRWA, highlighted concern about the potential for the conflict to spread to other regions. Martin Griffiths, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, warned of the devastating consequences that this conflict could have on the entire region.
Although France provided support to Israel following the Hamas attack in October, growing concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza led to the humanitarian conference. Israeli retaliatory strikes left thousands dead, injured and displaced, sparking outrage among many international actors.
In conclusion, the Humanitarian Conference for Gaza held in Paris in November 2023 made it possible to mobilize significant aid for the civilian population of the Gaza Strip. This event demonstrates the importance of international commitment in supporting vulnerable populations and in the search for humanitarian solutions for conflict zones.