The European Commission has confirmed the allocation of €458 million in humanitarian aid for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt for 2026.
In a statement, the Commission said that “at a time when major donors are withdrawing from the region and international humanitarian law is being tested as never before, the EU continues to provide vital assistance to millions of people”, underlining the Union’s continued presence in the region.
European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib said that “in a war-torn Middle East, the European Union is stepping forward while others step back. We are now the largest donor still providing humanitarian assistance in some of the world’s most severe crises, helping people living through the darkest moments of their lives. We must stand by them. International humanitarian law exists to protect them, and Europe will defend it. We will continue to provide vital assistance for as long as it is needed.”
In Syria, €210 million will be allocated to support emergency humanitarian interventions and protection measures across the country. A further €124 million will be directed to Palestine to support food assistance, healthcare, protection, shelter and education through partners operating under extremely difficult conditions in both the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.
In Lebanon, €100 million will be channelled towards emergency medical care, basic assistance for families with no resources, protection services, shelter and education for children who are out of school.
In Jordan, a total of €15.5 million will support essential services such as healthcare and protection, as well as the needs of refugees both inside and outside camps.
As for Egypt, €8 million will support multi-sectoral assistance for the most vulnerable groups, including quality education for out-of-school children, as well as a regional disaster preparedness programme. Egypt currently hosts more than 1.5 million refugees and asylum seekers, mainly from Sudan and Gaza.
The allocation of EU humanitarian aid for 2026 for Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt forms part of the European Commission’s annual global humanitarian aid decision, which is implemented through national humanitarian implementation plans.
In addition, humanitarian funding is allocated exclusively on the basis of need, in line with the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, and in full compliance with international humanitarian law.