Portugal offers 10 million euros in aid to UNRWA

Portugal said on Thursday it would give 10 million euros ($10.89 million) to the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA as a one-off contribution intended to provide Palestinians food, medicine, and humanitarian aid.

The amount was announced by acting Cabinet Affairs Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva following a cabinet meeting. 

A Foreign Ministry official described the amount as additional aid that had yet to be in the state budget 2024.

Caretaker Prime Minister Antonio Costa, a fellow Portuguese who has repeatedly called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, said he would inform the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of the 10 million euro contribution.

"We are all unanimous in condemning the barbaric attack that took place on October 7 against Israel, but we must all also be unanimous in condemning the unacceptable way in which Israel is currently exercising its right to defense," Costa told reporters ahead of a European Council meeting in Brussels.

Reuters