The US cut off funding to the Palestinian Refugee Agency

The US State Department announced on Friday that it is temporarily suspending funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The decision was made after suspicions arose that the agency’s employees in the Gaza Strip were involved in the attack of the Hamas group on Israel on October 7 last year. The UN has launched an investigation into the agency. The USA stated that a decision on the resumption of funding will be made based on the results of this review.

The head of the agency Filipe Lazzaryny informed about the beginning of the inspection of some of the UNRWA employees. He said that the Israeli side provided the UN with materials that could be used to suspect the officials of involvement in the events of October 7. Lazzaryny did not specify how many employees were under suspicion and what exactly they were accused of. However, he reported that the employment contracts with them have already been terminated, and that if the suspicions are confirmed, the guilty will be brought to justice.

The press secretary of the UN Secretary General, Stephane Dujarric, confirmed to the Reuters agency that Antonio Guterres had also read the materials and that he was “horrified”.

Earlier, both Israel and international human rights organizations noted that UNRWA missions in the Gaza Strip and schools and hospitals operating under the auspices of UNRWA are often used by Hamas to place its military headquarters, weapons depots and missile launchers there for attacks on the territory of Israel. UNWatch pointed out that after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year, some UNRWA employees – for example, school teachers – openly expressed support for the actions of Hamas and personally participated in holding Israeli hostages. UNRWA denied this.

• The United Nations Middle East Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was founded in 1949. It helps Palestinian refugees from the territory of Israel in Syria, Lebanon, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank of the Jordan River. The field of responsibility of UNRWA includes the organization of education, health care and social services. The USA is one of the largest financial donors to UNRWA.
• As a result of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year, more than 1,200 people were killed. 253 people — both Israelis and foreigners — were taken hostage. About half of them were released during a short truce in November. 27 hostages died in captivity, 132 Israeli citizens, including children, women and the elderly, still remain in the Gaza Strip.
• The armed group Hamas is recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.