Ireland has announced a €42 million aid package for Palestine in 2026, marking an increase from €36 million in 2025. Of this amount, €20 million will be provided as core funding to UNRWA to support essential services for Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, and the wider region. An additional €2 million will support the work of the Egyptian and Palestinian Red Crescent Societies, with the remaining funds allocated throughout the year based on emerging needs.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Helen McEntee TD, made the announcement during a visit to the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza. Her visit includes engagements in Egypt and Jordan, where she will observe the work of partner organizations assisting Palestinian and Syrian refugees as well as host communities.
Minister McEntee highlighted the severe humanitarian and human rights challenges in Gaza and the West Bank, noting that children are dying from malnutrition and hundreds of thousands live in tents or damaged buildings. Overcrowding, poor weather, and limited access to clean water increase the risk of disease. In the West Bank, house demolitions, settler violence, military incursions, and movement restrictions create ongoing risks for daily life.
She emphasized that Ireland’s funding will support vital services, including food, shelter, water, sanitation, health, and education, primarily delivered through UN partners, especially UNRWA. Minister McEntee reiterated Ireland’s condemnation of Israel’s legislation restricting water, electricity, and communications to UNRWA facilities and stressed that UNRWA must remain central to meeting the urgent needs of Palestinian people.
Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond, noted that Ireland’s cumulative support for Palestine since January 2023 will reach €144 million by the end of 2026. He called for other international donors to increase their contributions to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the worsening situation in the West Bank, ensuring access to healthcare, education, and other essential services for Palestinians.
