EU launches nearly $1 billion Gaza recovery fund, ties aid to Hamas disarmament and PA reforms

The European Union has launched a nearly $1 billion “Team Gaza Initiative” to support early recovery efforts in Gaza following the Israel-Hamas war. Announced by European Commissioner Dubravka Šuica at a Palestine Donor Group meeting in Brussels, the fund, backed by over a dozen countries and financial institutions, will finance debris removal, water and sanitation projects, and healthcare restoration. Šuica emphasized that "to do that, we need disarmament of Hamas in order to start proper recovery." The initiative also ties future international assistance to the Palestinian Authority's progress on governance and financial reforms, including the replacement of its “pay-for-slay” system. An independent audit has been commissioned to verify these reforms before further funds are disbursed, ensuring they do not end up in “the wrong hands.”