UN’s Palestine Relief Agency Loses More Funding After Alleged Staff’s Involvement With Hamas

There are a total of nine countries that have stopped their funding support.

Jan. 29, 2024

UN’s Palestine Relief Agency Loses More Funding After Alleged Staff’s Involvement With Hamas

On Saturday, January 27, 2024, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) confirmed that six more countries had temporarily suspended their funding to the agency.

On that day, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Finland joined the United States, Australia, and Canada in pausing funding to the humanitarian aid agency.

According to the Washington Post, it is unclear whether the halting of funds is immediate or affects funding pledges. Either way, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres said UNRWA could run out of money to meet all the needs of Palestinians displaced by the war as soon as February.

This situation was followed up with allegations that some of its staff were involved in the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Regarding the allegations, an investigation was immediately launched by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).

UNRWA's Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, said in his statement that the Israeli authorities had provided UNRWA with information about alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees in the October 7 incident.

UNRWA lifesaving assistance is about to end following countries decisions to cut their funding to the Agency.

Our humanitarian operation, on which 2 million people depend as a lifeline in Gaza, is collapsing. I am shocked such decisions are taken based on alleged behavior of a… — Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) January 27, 2024

"To protect the Agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members and launch an investigation in order to establish the truth without delay," said Lazzarini.

Of the 12 people implicated, nine were immediately identified and terminated by the UNRWA. One staff is confirmed dead while the identity of the two others is being clarified, said Guterres in a statement.

UN and UNRWA hope and appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations.

“It would be immensely irresponsible to sanction an agency and an entire community it serves because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement, and political crises in the region," Lazzarini lamented.