Malta will not be halting its development aid to Palestine, which includes supporting refugees and Palestinian students pursuing studies at the University of Malta.
The pledge comes in the wake of renewed conflict between Israel and Hamas. More than 1,530 people have been killed in Gaza so far, in retaliation for raids by militants that claimed more than 1,200 lives in Israel since Saturday.
Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg made Malta's position clear during an extraordinary EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, during which he insisted on the importance of not suspending EU development funds access to Palestinian civilians.
Last year, Malta donated a total of €84,950 in development assistance to Palestine: €80,000 was donated to the UNRWA, which cares for Palestinians and Palestinian refugees throughout the Middle East, while the remaining €4,950 was allocated for a scholarship for a Palestinian student to pursue an undergraduate degree in international relations.
This year, Malta increased its assistance to €124,000: €75,000 in donations to UNRWA and €49,000 for two postgraduate academic scholarships at the University of Malta. Both Palestinian students have arrived in Malta and begun their studies.
Malta has consistently maintained an aid link with Palestine over the years, with amounts donated growing over time. In 2015, for instance, the country provided €45,000 in donations to UNRWA.
While Malta's aid figures are minuscule when compared to those of most other, larger European countries, its decision to maintain aid programmes with Palestine is symbolically significant.
Denmark and Sweden have both announced they are suspending Palestinian development aid, in the wake of violence in the region, and Germany is also reportedly mulling a possible suspension of aid.
The EU's overall position has been unclear: it initially said it would be suspending development aid for Palestinian authorities, only to reverse that announcement within hours.
And while EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell has accused Israel of breaching international humanitarian law by bombing civilians in Gaza, European Parliament president Roberta Metsola pledged support and solidarity with Israel on Wednesday.
The Israeli military has now given around 1.1 million Gazans hours to flee from the north of the Palestinian territory, with the United Nations saying its agency for Palestinian refugees was moving operations and staff to southern Gaza.
Its massive military operation comes in retaliation to Hamas' surprise attack last Saturday - the worst breach in Israel's defences since Arab armies waged war in 1973.
'Israel has a right to defend itself within parameters of law'
Asked for Malta's reaction to Israel’s retaliation, the Foreign Affairs Ministry repeated the EU’s stand that Israel has a right to defend itself.
“Malta believes that Israel has the right to defend itself from threats to its citizens and from the threat of terrorism within the parameters of international law.
"As stated by High Representative/Vice President Borrell, all states around the world have the duty to observe international humanitarian law.”
On Tuesday, Borrell said Israel’s actions in Gaza - such as cutting water, electricity and food to a mass of civilian people - went against international law.