Several donor countries to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) have announced that they will suspend funding following allegations by Israel that some UNRWA staff were involved in a recent attack by Hamas. The United States has already suspended payments to the organization, noting that UNRWA plays a crucial role in providing essential assistance to Palestinians. UNRWA has initiated an investigation into the allegations and has already terminated the contracts of several staff members. The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, stated that the suspension of funding by nine countries threatens their ongoing humanitarian work in the region, particularly in Gaza. Germany, Australia, Finland, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom are among the countries that have temporarily halted funding pending the outcome of the investigation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed his concern and has called for an urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA.
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Several countries, including Australia and Italy, have suspended their funding to a U.N. agency. The decision was made due to allegations of staff involvement in a Hamas attack on Israel.
