Name: E.U. foreign affairs chief warns danger of defunding Gaza aid
Uploaded: 2024-02-12T12:54:46.230Z
Duration: 2 min 28 s
Description: UNRWA, a UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees active in Gaza, is under crisis as some donor countries, including Germany, are suspending key funding after a dozen of its employees were allegedly involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas’ terror attack that triggered the Israel-Hamas war.

UNRWA, a UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees active in Gaza, is under crisis as some donor countries, including Germany, are suspending key funding after a dozen of its employees were allegedly involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas’ terror attack that triggered the Israel-Hamas war.

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E.U. foreign affairs chief warns danger of defunding Gaza aid

With war still engulfing Gaza, an organisation tasked with protecting Palestinians is in crisis. Israeli allegations that several UN staffers were involved in the October 7 terror attacks have prompted doubt among some Western donors. It goes without saying that we've suspended aid and that we want a full investigation. There can be no business as usual. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, or UNRWA, was founded back in 1949. The organisation, tasked with offering aid and protection to Palestinian refugees, is active in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. But now some of its biggest backers, including Germany, have temporarily paused payments. The European Union says it will decide on its next cash injection later this month. But individual EU member states are divided. Countries including the Netherlands, Finland and Sweden have also frozen funds for now. But others, including Belgium and Ireland, have vowed to continue payments, while Portugal and Spain have upped their pledges. Withdrawing funding for such an agency amounts to a collective punishment of the Palestinian people who are actually going through an indescribable situation in terms of human rights. So I am very proud of what the Spanish government is doing. Israel has long been critical of UNRWA and argues that Hamas, considered a terrorist group by the EU and US, has infiltrated the agency. Its embassy in Brussels sent us this statement. Israel is committed to provide humanitarian aid to Gaza's civilian population in accordance with international law. However, due to the blatant evidence against UNRWA and its members' involvement in terrorist activities, we propose that the aid will be provided by alternative means. But UN experts say that's not feasible. There is no way any organisation can replace or substitute the tremendous capacity, the fabric of UNRWA, the ability and their knowledge of the population in Gaza. UNRWA has fired 10 employees and the first results from an independent review of the agency are expected in March. But the body says it needs funds now to help keep people alive.

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