Norway expressing strong support for Palestine at the Cairo conference

News story | Date: 02/12/2024 | Ministry of Foreign Affairs

"Conflicts and destabilization in the Middle East have led to death and destruction on a massive scale. Millions have been displaced. The Palestinian economy is in crisis. In this dramatic situation, the Norwegian government has proposed increasing the support to the Palestinian government amounting to USD 9.2 million and to UNRWA amounting to USD 4.6 million ", said State Secretary Andreas Kravik.

State Secretary Kravik participates at today's Cairo Ministerial Conference to enhance the Humanitarian Response in Gaza . The aim of the conference is to dramatically increase humanitarian aid to Gaza, and to plan and prepare for the day a ceasefire is in place, and the immediate aftermath. The healthcare and education sectors must be restarted, water and sanitation systems repaired, paving the way for long-term reconstruction led by the Palestinian government.

In addition to the obvious need for an urgent ceasefire and the release of the hostages, Norway conveyed three main messages at the conference:

1. There is an urgent need for a dramatic increase in aid reaching the population in Gaza. The main obstacle is not a lack of financing, but persistent restrictions on access to Palestinian civilians in need.

1. The international community must be ready to start the early recovery phase under the leadership of the Palestinian government
2. Calling for support to the UN General Assembly resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice to clarify Israel's obligations to facilitate assistance to the Palestinian population.  

"It is extremely important that the gigantic task of reviving Gaza will be carried out under Palestinian leadership. UNRWA must also be allowed to continue its work on the ground. But both the Palestinian government and UNRWA are facing extremely difficult financial situations as well as severe obstructions in carrying out any services in Gaza", said State Secretary Kravik.

The ongoing conflict has led to skyrocketing humanitarian needs for 2 million Palestinians in Gaza. Persistent obstacles, particularly against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and limited access for humanitarian actors to bring in lifesaving aid further exacerbate the situation. The breakdown of security and blocked access to deliver life-saving aid in Gaza has pushed the humanitarian response to the brink of collapse. Commercial cargo also remains largely blocked from entering Gaza.

"People are starving while truckloads of food and other goods remain stuck at the border, with high risk of getting spoiled. Norway reminds all parties, yet again, to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law. This means enabling protection of the civilian population and safe passage of the humanitarian assistance they need to survive", said State Secretary Kravik.

Norway has initiated a resolution in the General Assembly which requests The International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an advisory opinion on Israel's obligations to facilitate assistance to the Palestinian population.

"The international community cannot accept that the UN and international humanitarian organisations continue to face systematic obstacles when delivering humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. We call on all UN member states of the to support the initiative", said State Secretary Kravik.