Sweden provides SEK 300 million in humanitarian support to Gaza

The Government decided in December 2024 to significantly strengthen preparedness to support the response by allocating SEK 800 million to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the region. The Government has now approved an initial disbursement of SEK 300 million. The support package aims to reinforce efforts for health and medical care and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), food distribution and emergency housing in Palestine.

“The implementation of the first phase of the ceasefire in Gaza has resulted in an extremely urgent increase in the supply of humanitarian supplies. It is now of the utmost importance that the partners adhere to the ceasefire in Gaza, that unhindered humanitarian access is ensured and that all hostages are released immediately and unconditionally. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire and the needs are acute, especially for many women and children. In this critical situation, we are giving our full support to the humanitarian response and are therefore further increasing support to Gaza with a particular focus on necessities such as shelter, food and access to health and medical care,” says Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa.

To support an effective scaling up of the response in Gaza, SEK 150 million will be channelled through the UN Humanitarian Land Fund, which allocates funds to international organisations and directly to local civil society actors on the ground. The support, which is flexible and goes to the most prioritised sectors, targets acute needs such as shelter and emergency housing. In addition, SEK 30 million is being allocated directly to the UNDP’s support to humanitarian operations with a focus on emergency housing and the removal of debris and waste. To support the delivery of food and other necessities to the civilian population, SEK 60 million is being allocated to the WFP, which both provides direct food assistance as well as logistics support.

A further SEK 50 million is being allocated to UNFPA, which seeks to maintain access to sexual and reproductive health and rights services in Palestine. This support is focused on life-saving maternity care, maternal health care and neonatal care, as well as other life-saving services for sexual and reproductive health. UNFPA also provides psychosocial and medical support to victims of sexual and gender-based violence. In addition, SEK 10 million is being allocated to the ICRC, which works to improve access to basic services such as health and medical care, water and electricity. The support for the ICRC will also contribute to the organisation’s work on reuniting families and providing support to relatives of Israeli hostages and imprisoned Palestinians.