"I firmly condemn the escalation of violence in the region and deplore the relentless deterioration of the humanitarian situation of the population of the Gaza Strip and Cis-Jordan". In presenting an urgent plan of humanitarian aids for the populations affected by the conflict that is taking place in the Middle East, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aids, Louis Michel, gave his personal interpretation of the current predicament: "Once again, civilians are paying the price of war". In this case, they "are the main victims of the blockades and raids in Gaza and now even in Lebanon. The restrictions on free circulation make it even more difficult for humanitarian workers to help people in distress". Michel invites the Israeli and Palestinian authorities "to ease the work of the humanitarian agencies and take care of protecting civilians". Given the deterioration of these problems, especially in the Palestinian Territories, the EU has allocated an extra fund of 50 million euros for victuals, water and drugs and to take measures for protecting the hygiene of the population. "The latest funds specifies Michel will help respond to the vital needs of about one and a half million people".
