The European Union (EU) is tightening its conditions for providing financial aid to the Palestinians following the Gaza war. An audit report revealed no evidence that EU funds had directly or indirectly supported the radical Islamic Hamas, but there is concern about recipients inciting hatred, violence, or anti-Semitism.

In response to the brutal Hamas attack on Israel in October, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 and the abduction of around 240 people, the EU Commission submitted a report on its aid amounting to €331 million for the current year. Although no European funds went directly to Hamas, there are suspicions that recipients may have taken part in hate speech and “glorification of terror.” Brussels demanded “further information” from local partners about an additional €39 million in aid.

Aid worth €75 million for the Gaza Strip was classified as “unfeasible” and should be reallocated. The EU sees itself as the largest supporter of the Palestinians worldwide. In total, aid for this period will amount to almost €1.2 billion euros. Despite this review, humanitarian aid was not affected. Germany and other member states also put their national aid to the test after the Hamas attack on Israel. The federal government recently released €90 million euros for the Gaza Strip and Jordan. The review for other areas should “soon be completed,” as State Secretary in the Federal Development Ministry, Jochen Flasbarth, said on the sidelines of an EU meeting in Brussels.