The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, is making a plea to the 10 donor countries that have withdrawn funding from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Guterres emphasizes that the alleged acts of a few staff members should not lead to the penalization of the agency and Palestinians in desperate need.
Guterres assures that the UN is taking swift action against any UN employee involved in acts of terror, with nine UNRWA staff already dismissed for their alleged involvement in an attack on Israel. The UN Office of Internal Oversight Services has been tasked with conducting an inquiry into the matter.
Israel's foreign ministry has declared that UNRWA will have no role in Gaza once the conflict ends, following allegations that up to 12 UNRWA staff were involved in an attack on October 7. This information was formally presented to UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini, prompting key donors, including the U.S., the UK, and Germany, to suspend their funding.
UNRWA, facing a potential collapse in funding, operates on a hand-to-mouth basis, covering five countries and employing 40,000 staff, including 13,000 in Gaza. Lazzarini warns that the humanitarian operation in Gaza is collapsing, impacting two million people and deepening needs.
Guterres emphasizes that the loss of funding jeopardizes aid delivery into Gaza for the entire month, and the situation is exacerbated by families of Israeli hostages blocking a key aid crossing. The aid crisis coincides with an ongoing war, adding to the challenges faced by Palestinians in Gaza.
While some countries, such as Ireland and Norway, express horror at the allegations but continue funding, others, including the U.S. and the UK, have suspended aid. The near-collapse of UNRWA funding follows an International Court of Justice order requiring Israel to facilitate the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.
Despite Israel's desire to dismantle UNRWA, accusations of staff complicity in terrorism have led to an independent review initiated by UNRWA on January 17. Israel alleges that UNRWA staff members were involved in the October 7 operation, presenting names and even claiming UN vehicles were present at the scene.
Israeli officials swiftly moved to exploit the allegations, calling for the permanent dismantling of UNRWA and accusing it of being a Hamas front. The situation adds complexity to an already challenging humanitarian crisis and international efforts in the region.