9 countries have stopped funding aid to Palestinian refugees

Nine donor countries have already suspended funding of the UN agency for assistance to Palestinian refugees. The United States, which adopted this measure on Friday, was joined by Great Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, Australia and Canada. They stated that they will not allocate UNRWA funds until the results of the investigation into the possible involvement of the agency’s employees in the attack on Israel by the Hamas group, designated as terrorist in the USA and the EU, on October 7 last year.

UN Secretary General António Guterres acknowledged the seriousness of the suspicions leveled against UNRWA, but called on the international community to ensure the continuation of the agency’s humanitarian work.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel Israel Katz call to the termination of UNRWA’s work in the Gaza Strip. He stated that the agency “conserves the refugee problem, obstructs peace and serves as the civilian wing of Hamas in Gaza.” On opinion minister, in the future restoration of Gaza, UNRWA should be replaced by other agencies “truly committed to the ideas of peace and development.”

In his statement, the head of UNRWA, Filipe Lazzarina, said that the suspected employees have been dismissed and, if the suspicions are confirmed, they will appear before the court. He demanded continued financing of the agency’s work, on which, according to him, the lives of 2.2 million residents of the Gaza Strip and stability in the region depend.

On Friday, it became known about suspicions against UNRWA employees who may have personally participated in the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. A package of relevant materials was presented by Israel. We are talking about 12 employees of the agency. One of them died, nine were dismissed, the identities of two more are being established.

• Israel has previously repeatedly criticized UNRWA, claiming that schools and hospitals managed by the agency were used by Hamas for terrorist activities. According to the Israeli side, as a result of the attack by Hamas and “Islamic Jihad” in Israel, about 1,400 people died, 240 were taken hostage (132 of them remain in captivity, 27 died).
• In response, Israel, having promised to destroy Hamas, strikes the Gaza Strip, which is under the group’s control. According to the Palestinian side, more than 26 thousand residents of the Gaza Strip died as a result of the Israeli offensive.