Funding to the United Nations agency in the Palestinian Gaza Strip will be temporarily suspended after several of its employees are suspected of being involved in attacks on Israel by the Islamic group Hamas. The impact is spreading, with countries making announcements one after another. Representatives from United Nations agencies appealed to countries to reconsider their suspension of funding in order to continue humanitarian operations.
UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees), which provides assistance in the Gaza Strip, received information from the Israeli side that multiple staff members were suspected of being involved when Hamas attacked Israel last October. , we are starting an investigation.
Most of UNRWA's activities are funded by support from Western countries, but in response to this suspicion, several countries, including the United States, Germany, and Canada, which contribute large sums of money, have temporarily suspended additional funding. The impact is spreading, with successive announcements that the system will be suspended.
Regarding this, UNRWA Director-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement on the 27th that nine countries have so far suspended funding.
``It is shocking that funding would be suspended due to suspicions against a small number of staff members.It is a sanction against UNRWA and the entire region, and is extremely irresponsible.''It threatens continued support activities. I criticized it.
"More than 2 million people in the Gaza Strip depend on UNRWA for their survival. I urge you to reconsider your decision," he said, appealing to each country to reconsider suspending funding.
UNRWA distributes aid supplies and operates evacuation centers in the Gaza Strip, and there are concerns that this incident will have an impact on support activities to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.