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[Live] UN chief urges guarantee of continued UNRWA operations for Palestinians
The Secretary General of the United Nations urged this Sunday, January 28, the countries having suspended their funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in the turmoil, to “at least guarantee” the continuation of its operations, essential to two million people.
“I strongly urge governments that have suspended their contributions to at least guarantee the continuity of UNRWA operations,” argued Antonio Guterres in a press release. REUTERS - CAITLIN OCHS
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What you must remember
■ The town of
Khan Younes,
in the south of the Gaza Strip, is
bombarded relentlessly
. The Israeli army considers that this is where the local leadership of Hamas is hiding. Hospitals, under pressure, are at the center of concerns.
■ The International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared on Friday that
Israel must prevent any possible act of “genocide”
in Gaza. South Africa made an urgent appeal to the UN's highest court last month, arguing that
Israel
was violating the UN Genocide Convention. But if its orders are legally binding, the Court has no way of enforcing them.
■
UNRWA
announced on Friday that it was separating from “several” employees accused by Israel of being linked to the October 7 attack. In response, the United States and several other states announced the temporary suspension of funding to the UN agency, which sounded the alarm this Saturday evening.
■ According to the Hamas Ministry of Health on January 27,
26,257 people have been killed in Gaza
since the start of the war on October 7. The majority of the dead are women, adolescents and children. There are nearly 65,000 injured.
Times are given in universal time (Paris-1)
06:05: Demonstrations on January 27 in Tel Aviv to demand the release of Israeli hostages
Families of the hostages demonstrate in the streets of Tel Aviv in front of Benyamin Netanyahu's home, January 27, 2024. AFP - AHMAD GHARABLI
Relatives of the hostages hold signs with the faces of their loved ones demanding their release. AP - Ariel Schalit
05:33:
Update on card fights with ISW
NEW: Palestinian fighters claimed clashes with Israeli forces. Hamas and other Palestinian fighters have contested Israeli raids in certain areas of the northern Gaza Strip throughout January 2024. 🧵1/8: pic.twitter.com/8CQkwa06YA
— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) January 28, 2024
05:20: Antonio Guterres urges a guarantee of the continuation of UNRWA operations
The Secretary General of the United Nations urged this Sunday, January 28, the countries having suspended their funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in the turmoil, to “at least guarantee” the continuation of its operations, essential to two million people. The agency, at the heart of humanitarian aid in Gaza, announced on January 26 that it had separated from several employees accused of being involved in the attack perpetrated on October 7 by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas in Israel, on the information base of the Israeli authorities. As soon as this announcement was made, the United States announced the suspension of all additional aid to UNRWA, followed by several other countries, including Italy, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Finland and Germany.
“
While I understand their concerns – I myself was horrified by these accusations – I strongly urge the governments that have suspended their contributions to at least guarantee the continuity of UNRWA operations
,” argued Antonio Guterres in a statement. “
Two million civilians in Gaza depend on critical aid from UNRWA for their daily survival, but current UNRWA funding will not allow it to meet all needs in February
,” he insisted. .
“
There must be consequences for the alleged despicable actions of these employees. But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for aid workers, should not be penalized. We must respond to the urgent needs of the desperate populations they care for
,” added the UN Secretary General.
He confirmed, as Washington had indicated, that twelve UNRWA employees were concerned by these “
extremely serious accusations
” which are the subject of an internal UN investigation. Unrwa has separated nine of them, one is “
confirmed dead
”, and the identities of two others are “
in the process of being clarified
”, he said. “
Any UN employee involved in terrorist acts will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution,
” he assured, promising his cooperation with the competent authorities.
► Find our
live from Saturday January 27 here
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