MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Smith
Australia will provide a further $5 million for urgently needed humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
The additional assistance I am announcing today demonstrates Australia's on going support for the considerable efforts being made by Australian and international organisations to provide critical humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.
The additional $5 million includes up to $2 million for Australian NGOs to deliver immediate emergency assistance in Gaza.
Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, will meet with Australian NGOs this week to finalise details of the proposed $2 million assistance package by Australian NGOs.
The remaining $3 million is for United Nations agencies to replenish food and emergency stores.
This brings to $10 million the amount of emergency humanitarian assistance committed by Australia to Gaza this year, and is in addition to the $45 million in development and humanitarian assistance provided to the Palestinian people in 2008.
Australian assistance announced earlier this month has provided financial support to families displaced by the violence in Gaza and delivered urgently needed food aid and medical supplies to those affected.
This earlier assistance included $2 million cash assistance through United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) for displaced families, $1.5 millions for emergency food through the World Food Program (WFP), and $1.5 million to the Red Cross.