The Israel-Palestine conflict, which erupted on October 7, 2023, has resulted in thousands of deaths, tens of thousands of injuries, and approximately one million displaced persons.
Amidst this humanitarian crisis, the list of countries committed to providing aid to Palestinians continues to grow. The latest aid announcement comes from the United States government.
On Wednesday, October 18, 2023, US President Joe Biden announced $100 million (approximately Rp1.58 trillion, assuming an exchange rate of Rp15,805 per US$) in aid for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
"This funding will assist over one million displaced persons and conflict victims with clean water, food, sanitation support, medical care, and other essential needs," stated the White House's press team on its official website on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
"The US delivers humanitarian assistance through trusted partners, including UN agencies and international NGOs," they added.
Previously, between October 8 and 18, 2023, several other countries announced similar aid, namely the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Japan, and Ireland.
In total, from the beginning of the war until Wednesday, October 18, 2023, 11 countries have pledged aid to Palestine, with a total value of approximately Rp3.8 trillion.
Despite the increasing number of donor countries, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), aid supplies have not been able to reach Palestinian territories due to blockades by Israeli forces.
"The complete siege of Gaza continues. The Rafah crossing (a city in the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt) remains closed, preventing the entry of much-needed humanitarian assistance, including food, water, medicine, and fuel waiting in Egyptian territory," OCHA stated in its press release on Thursday, October 19, 2023.
"The Erez and Kerem Shalom crossings (Gaza Strip border with Israel) also remain closed," it continued.