The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) on Monday signed two agreements with the German Development Bank (GDB) worth a total of 25 million euros (approximately $31.3 million) to assist Palestinians in war-torn Gaza as well as struggling Palestinian refugees from Syria who are seeking refuge in Lebanon.
Germany also plans to finance part of the cost of four new corvette warships for the Israeli navy.
Twenty of the 25 million euros – provided by the GDB on behalf of the German government – will go towards "cash assistance for temporary shelter, as well as major repairs and the reconstruction of homes in Gaza," the UNRWA said in a statement.
"This will help families who are still homeless following the summer 2014 hostilities [the Israeli assault on the Gaza strip] move into transitional shelter until their home repairs have been completed," it said.
The remaining 5 million euros, the UNRWA added, would "provide vital assistance to the most vulnerable Palestine refugees from Syria in Lebanon through targeted cash assistance for food, shelter and winterization needs."
"This donation will also fund essential improvements to UNRWA infrastructure and environmental health services," the UN refugee agency added. "These improvements will help maintain healthy environments in refugee camps and provide emergency collective shelter rehabilitation."
On Tuesday, the agency called on the international community to earmark $414 million to support Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank and the blockaded Gaza Strip.
The UNRWA provides assistance and protection for some 5 million registered Palestinian refugees.
Besides donating money for Gaza reconstruction, Germany also plans to finance part of the cost of four new corvette warships for the Israeli navy.
The government said Monday that it will help finance the four corvette warships, made by German firm Thyssen Krupp, under a deal struck with the Zionist state back in November.
Following approval by German parliament's budget committee the contract could be finalized before the end of this year, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said.
The mass-circulation Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday that Berlin had earmarked up to 115 million euros for the warships – which would cost around 1 billion euros in total.
Seibert declined comment on the size of the German contribution.
As part of its atonement for the Nazi Holocaust, Germany is committed to Israel's security and has often helped pay for the cost of military equipment such as submarines.
These military equipment were used by Israel this summer during the 51-day aggression on Gaza.
According to the UN, more than 2,160 Gazans, mostly civilians, were killed and 11,000 injured.
Moreover, as many as 80,000 Palestinians homes were damaged or destroyed during the days of hostilities, a higher figure than was previously thought, and over 106,000 of Gaza's 1.8 million residents have been displaced to UN shelters and host families.
The Palestinian Authority has estimated that rebuilding Gaza will cost $7.8 billion.
(Anadolu, Reuters, Al-Akhbar)
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