Sweden provides SEK 300 million in humanitarian support to Gaza
Published
In light of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, the Government has approved a new support package of SEK 300 million to address the acute needs of the civilian population. The support is to be distributed to the UN Palestinian Territory Humanitarian Fund, the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Development Programme and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
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.
Sweden’s humanitarian support to Gaza
With the approved support package of SEK 300 million, Sweden’s total humanitarian aid to Gaza since October 2023 amounts to more than SEK 930 million. Furthermore, Sweden’s generous core support to several of the main humanitarian organisations operating on the ground continues. In addition to the funding allocated by the Government to the response in Gaza, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency has made an initial allocation of SEK 82 million in humanitarian assistance to Palestine for 2025.
The impact of Swedish humanitarian assistance
Sweden’s humanitarian assistance to Gaza is made available both through targeted efforts and flexible core support that humanitarian actors can use where it is most needed. In December, for example, the Government contributed SEK 40 million to winter necessities for children in Gaza through the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which among other things went to winter clothing and shoes for approximately 50 000 children. The support also enabled the acquisition of 180 provisional teaching premises, school supplies and educational and recreational activities for more than 10 000 children. The Government’s flexible core support to major humanitarian actors operating in Gaza, disbursed early this year, has helped enable a fast and effective ramping-up of the humanitarian response.
Press contact
Press Secretary to Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa
Phone (switchboard) +46 8 405 10 00
Mobile +46 76 133 67 90
email to Linn Laurin
