Support for the Gaza Peace Plan

CHF 17.5 million in humanitarian aid for Gaza and the needs of children

Despite the increase in humanitarian aid following the 10 October 2025 ceasefire as part of the US-backed Gaza Peace Plan for peace in the Middle East, the needs on the ground remain immense. Persistent restrictions continue to limit the population's access to essential goods.

In accordance with the Plan and the New York Declaration of 4 August 2025, the Federal Council reaffirms that all parties must respect international humanitarian law and guarantee safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access for civilians in need.

To meet the most urgent needs, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) has allocated CHF 17.5 million to humanitarian organisations capable of responding rapidly. Of this, CHF 5 million will be used to support the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to channel aid in key sectors such as water, health and shelter. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) meanwhile will receive CHF 4 million to guarantee access to healthcare, water and essential goods. In addition, the Palestinian Red Crescent will receive CHF 2 million via the Swiss Red Cross to strengthen its emergency medical services. Finally, CHF 1 million has been allocated to the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization to consolidate the Jordanian humanitarian corridor and its logistical capacity.

The Federal Council is also paying particular attention to the situation of children in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), who have been seriously affected by more than two years of conflict. A total of CHF 5.5 million has been committed to support them. CHF 2.5 million has been allocated to UNICEF to support its child protection programmes, as well as children's access to education, water, sanitation and psychosocial support. The Confederation will also make CHF 2 million available to the WHO for the evacuation and treatment of patients, particularly seriously injured children, in cooperation with Jordan and several European partners. It is also supporting Save the Children with CHF 1 million to provide psychosocial counselling, medical care and socio-economic support for children evacuated to Egypt.

Finally, the FDFA will support jointly with FIFA a project aimed at installing ten mini football pitches in 2026 – five in Israel and five in the oPt – each associated with a training programme for children, in order to promote safe spaces and social cohesion. In the first phase, Switzerland will co-finance the construction of two pitches in the West Bank with a contribution of CHF 120,000.

CHF 5.5 million to strengthen Palestinian institutions

The FDFA is stepping up its support for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in order to consolidate its institutions, improve their financial viability and support unified governance for the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and Gaza, an essential condition for the two-state solution. In order to strengthen the legitimacy of the PA, Switzerland is supporting the preparation of elections by deploying an expert to the electoral commission. The Federal Council also decided to grant the PA CHF 4 million through the European PEGASE mechanism, to cover essential expenditure in the health sector in East Jerusalem. It is also allocating CHF 1 million to the World Bank to support reforms in budget management and revenue mobilisation.

The FDFA has pledged CHF 500,000 to humanitarian demining, in partnership with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD). It is also continuing to support reforms in the justice system, including efforts to rebuild the judicial sector in the Gaza Strip, as well as initiatives to promote dialogue and combat hate speech. Switzerland will continue to support platforms for intra-Palestinian, intra-Israeli, Israeli-Palestinian and regional dialogue, in order to strengthen the mediation skills of civil society and young people. The FDFA is currently analysing existing initiatives to prepare a new dialogue process, in particular within the framework of the Global Alliance for the Two-State Solution.

Swiss expertise at the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC)

To support the operational implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan, Switzerland seconded three specialists in humanitarian aid, international humanitarian law and disarmament to the CMCC at the beginning of November. A fourth expert, specialising in mine clearance, will soon be joining the centre.

Outlook: reconstruction and the political process

The Federal Council welcomes the adoption by the UN Security Council on 17 November of a resolution authorising the establishment of a Board of Peace and an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) for Gaza. It will examine the possibility of participating in this force as soon as the requirements, mandate and operational conditions have been defined.

On 20 November 2025, Switzerland took part in the Palestine Donor Group conference in Brussels, organised by the European Union with the Palestinian Authority. This focused on governance, reforms, financial stability and the coordination of international support for the West Bank and Gaza. It will also take part in the reconstruction conference announced by Egypt and will continue its coordination work with the World Bank, the PA and the UN.

This support is in addition to the CHF 127 million already committed since October 2023, bringing Switzerland's total humanitarian contribution to CHF 150 million. The FDFA continues to monitor the situation closely and to contribute to peace in the region through its humanitarian, peace diplomacy and reconstruction efforts.