Western Nations: UN Agency Condemns Aid Halt

The Head of the UN Agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA has urged the countries that halted funding to reconsider their “shocking” decision.

“UNRWA is the primary humanitarian agency in Gaza, with over two million people depending on it for their sheer survival,” Philippe Lazzarini said.

Eight countries, including the UK, earlier paused funding the agency.

They acted over allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October deadly Hamas attacks on Israel.

The Agency says it has opened an investigation and has sacked those employees.

The countries that have now suspended funding UNRWA are Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK and the US.

Created in 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, is the biggest UN agency operating in Gaza. It provides healthcare, education and other humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It employs around 13,000 people inside Gaza.

Since Israel began its offensive in response to the Hamas attacks UNRWA has used its facilities across Gaza to shelter hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians.

The information on UNRWA employees’ alleged involvement in the Hamas attacks was supplied by Israel, which has long accused different branches of the UN including UNRWA of bias and even of antisemitism.

BBC