Germany announced Thursday that it will provide 25 million euros ($27 million) to Holocaust survivors in Israel to help them cope with the aftermath of the Hamas attack and Gaza war.
Each of Israel’s 113,000 Jewish survivors would get a one-off payment of 220 euros, according to the Claims Conference, an organization that seeks reparations for Holocaust survivors and collaborated with the German government on the scheme.
“Many Holocaust survivors were hit particularly hard by the Hamas attacks”, said a German finance ministry spokesperson, citing the loss of homes or support networks such as care.
“The additional funds were aimed at helping them in this frightening war situation”, the spokesperson continued.
Gideon Taylor, president of the Claims Conference, hailed the donation as a ‘message of solidarity’ from Germany to Israel’s Holocaust survivors.
According to the ministry, the reimbursements will be delivered in Israel in collaboration with the Claims Conference and the Israeli government’s Holocaust Survivors Rights Authority.
Germany is a firm ally of Israel, and its response to the Hamas attacks and subsequent conflict has been influenced by its sad past, including the death of six million Jews by the Nazis during the Holocaust.
The Gaza Strip war broke out after Palestinian group Hamas launched an attack against Israel on October 7, killing 1,170 people, mostly civilians.
Israel’s retaliatory strike has killed at least 33,545 people in Gaza, mostly women and children.
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