28-1-2024 (TEL AVIV) Funding from nine countries for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been temporarily halted following allegations by Israel regarding the involvement of some UNRWA staff in the Oct. 7 attack.
Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Finland have joined the temporary suspension on Jan. 27, following similar announcements by the U.S., Australia, and Canada, as reported by Reuters.
Allegations of UNRWA Employees’ Involvement in Oct. 7 Attack On Jan. 26, UNRWA responded to allegations of its employees’ involvement in the Oct. 7 attack.
Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, announced the termination of contracts for the relevant staff and initiated an investigation into the matter.
According to the U.S. State Department, 12 UNRWA employees were allegedly involved in the Oct. 7 attack.
The State Department stated it had “temporarily paused” additional funding for UNRWA pending a review of the allegations and the UN’s response.
UNRWA Calls Suspension “Shocking” Lazzarini expressed shock at the funding suspension by the nine countries on Jan. 27.
“It is shocking to see a suspension of funds to the Agency in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, especially given the immediate action that UNRWA took by terminating their contracts and asking for a transparent independent investigation,” Lazzarini said.
He highlighted that over two million people in Gaza rely on UNRWA for survival, emphasizing the urgency of humanitarian assistance amid looming famine concerns.
UNRWA’s Role in the Gaza Strip Established after the 1948 Palestine war, UNRWA supports Palestinian refugees’ relief and human development in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict following the Oct. 7 attack, UNRWA has provided services in eight Palestine refugee camps in Gaza, aiding approximately two-thirds of Gaza’s 2.3 million population.
