BRUSSELS — The European Union coordinated efforts to raise 900 million euros ($1 billion) in aid for Gaza during a meeting of the Team Gaza Initiative in Brussels on July 13, 2026. The funds are intended to support early recovery projects in the war-torn territory as part of a broader international effort involving more than a dozen countries and institutions.

Kaja Kallas, the EU foreign policy chief, announced the aid package following a gathering of the Palestine Donors Group in Brussels. “The EU is the most credible supporter, for the Palestinian people. We are the largest donor and the strongest backer of the two-state solution,” Kallas said. The meeting marked the second convening of the Team Gaza Initiative, which the European Commission launched on July 13, 2026, with more than a dozen participating countries.

The initiative aims to deliver €883.6 million ($1 billion) in aid projects to help Gaza recover from war. According to the European Commission, the funding is intended to assist in providing the population with basic water and sanitation facilities, clearing and disposing of rubble and rubbish, and restoring health, energy, agricultural, and food systems. Projects under the initiative will support restoring water and sanitation infrastructure, removing debris, and re-establishing health systems.

Dubravka Suica, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean, outlined the immediate goals of the initiative during the Brussels meeting. “We will present the initial package today of almost 900 million euros or one billion dollars,” Suica said. She added that donors “want to start with so-called early recovery, and it is very important to show that we are willing to do it.” Suica emphasized that “we now need the conditions on the ground that will allow the support to reach the people in Gaza.” She also noted that the money will move through “trusted partners,” though she did not provide further details.

“Our objective is clear: to help build hope, resilience and a better future for the Palestinian people,” Suica said. She also described the ongoing situation in Gaza as precarious, stating, “The ceasefire in Gaza remains fragile, and the situation on the ground for civilians is not getting better.” The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has been in place since October 2025 but is effectively stalled, and violence has continued. At least 1,100 Palestinians have been killed and more than 3,500 wounded since the ceasefire began, adding to a total death toll of at least 73,000 Palestinians during the war.

The European Union worked with 65 governments and organizations—including the White House and the United Nations—to coordinate the aid effort. Participating entities in the Team Gaza Initiative include Spain, Denmark, Britain, Germany, Norway, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, the World Bank, and the European Investment Bank. Australia and Canada are expected to join the initiative in the near future. Despite the broad coalition, the European Commission did not provide a breakdown of how much each partner would contribute to the new initiative.

The scale of destruction in Gaza underscores the urgency of the recovery effort. The United Nations has estimated the total cost of rebuilding Gaza at around $70 billion, a figure echoed by the World Bank and the EU. In April 2026, the European Union and United Nations stated that more than $71 billion would be needed over the next 10 years for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction. The Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) report found that $26.3 billion will be required in the first 18 months alone to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure, and support economic recovery.

According to the U.N., Gaza contains more than 60 million tons of rubble—enough to fill nearly 3,000 container ships. Clearing this debris will take over seven years, with additional time required for demining operations. With a population of approximately 2 million people, Gaza faces immense challenges in restoring even basic living conditions.

Several senior officials attended the Brussels meeting, including Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, who called for “a resilient, sovereign, contiguous and viable Palestinian state.” Mustafa said, “We are investing not only in the Palestinian future but also in the regional stability, shared security and just and lasting peace for everyone together.” The Palestinian Authority seeks a role in Gaza’s reconstruction, though Israel's current government has opposed the creation of such a Palestinian state.

Also present were Ali Shaath, head of the new Palestinian committee meant to administer Gaza’s daily affairs, and Nickolay Mladenov, head of the Board of Peace established by U.S. President Donald Trump to lead Gaza's reconstruction. Shaath remains unable to enter Gaza. Mladenov has indicated that the next steps in implementing the ceasefire are stalled over the issue of disarming Hamas militants in Gaza. Former U.S. officials Jared Kushner and Nickolay Mladenov also attended the meeting.

The nearly $1 billion in aid pledged by the European Union represents the largest single coordinated contribution to Gaza’s early recovery phase, though it addresses only a small fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed for full reconstruction. The initiative reflects the EU’s continued commitment to the two-state solution and its role as the largest donor to Palestinian institutions, even as political and security obstacles persist on the ground. With humanitarian conditions deteriorating despite the ceasefire, the success of this aid effort hinges on the ability of donors to ensure safe and consistent access to Gaza’s population.

The Team Gaza Initiative also signals a strategic attempt to coordinate international efforts through multilateral institutions rather than unilateral national programs. However, the initiative’s effectiveness will depend on whether security conditions allow for the delivery of aid and the resumption of governance functions in Gaza. The presence of Palestinian Authority representatives at the meeting highlights ongoing efforts to establish a legitimate administrative framework for reconstruction, though Israel’s opposition to a sovereign Palestinian state remains a barrier.