International actors debate stopping payments to Palestinians after Hamas attack on Israel

Synopsis

The European Commission announces a reversal of its earlier decision to suspend 700 million euros in development aid to the Palestinian territories. This decision comes after confusion in Brussels, where Oliver Varhelyi, the Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy, prematurely stated that all aid would be halted. The announcement surprised many, especially with a meeting of foreign ministers from all 27 EU member states scheduled to discuss the response to Hamas's recent terror attacks. The Commission clarifies that while new projects may be affected, humanitarian aid for 1.5 million people in Gaza will continue as planned. This aid is specifically for food, medical supplies, and schooling, ensuring that it serves humanitarian purposes and does not support terrorism, as there have been no direct contacts with Hamas since 2008.