16 December 2025 - The World Health Organization (WHO) and the German Federal Foreign Office have signed a top-up funding agreement worth EUR 14 million to support priority health interventions in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). The agreement reinforces Germany’s continued partnership with WHO in responding to urgent health needs in Gaza and the West Bank.
Since October 2023, Germany’s total contribution to WHO’s response in the oPt has reached EUR 38 million, supporting life-saving health operations amid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis following two years of conflict.
The additional funding will enable WHO to sustain and scale up the implementation of its operational response plan in the oPt, including:
• Procurement of essential and life-saving medicines to address acute care needs and critical gaps in health facilities across Gaza and the West Bank;
• Maintaining the functionality of essential health services, including emergency care at Nasser Medical Complex, and maternal, pediatric, and nutrition services at Al-Khier Hospital and Rantis Hospital in Gaza;
• Procurement of assistive devices to support patients requiring rehabilitation, including persons with disabilities and those injured due to conflict-related trauma;
• Strengthening public health system functionality, particularly disease surveillance.
“WHO is deeply grateful for Germany’s long-standing partnership and solidarity, which are vital to maintaining and strengthening health services across the oPt, particularly in advancing the rehabilitation of the health system in Gaza. Predictable and flexible funding remains essential to enabling WHO to respond rapidly and effectively to evolving health needs across the oPt. Continued support will be critical as we advance recovery and rebuilding in Gaza,” said Dr Rik Peeperkorn, Representative for WHO in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The agreement was signed by Antje Leendertse, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Nations in Geneva, and Chikwe Ihekweazu, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme. The agreement underscores the shared commitment to safeguarding access to essential health services and protecting the most vulnerable populations in the oPt.
