UN Calls for Reversal of Funding Pause for Palestinian Agency, Promises Accountability for Staff By Reuters

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Emma Farge

DOHA/GENEVA – U.N. officials are calling on nations to reconsider recent suspensions of funding for the U.N. agency dedicated to Palestinian refugees. They assert that any staff members who are found to have participated in Hamas’ attack on Israel will face consequences. They emphasize that essential aid for approximately two million people in Gaza is now at risk.

Several nations, including major contributors like the U.S. and Germany, have halted funding for the UNRWA refugee agency following allegations from Israel that a number of its 13,000 employees in Gaza were involved in the violent events of October 7.

"I understand their concerns – I was horrified by these accusations – but I strongly urge governments that have suspended their contributions to ensure the continuation of UNRWA’s operations," said U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He assured that any U.N. employee implicated in terrorist acts would be held accountable, which could include criminal prosecution.

Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA commissioner-general, also appealed for nations to reassess their funding decisions before the agency is forced to cease its humanitarian efforts. An investigation into Israel’s allegations is currently underway.

According to Gaza’s health ministry, over 26,000 individuals have died as a result of Israel’s military actions against Hamas. Humanitarian aid, including food and medicine, has been drastically reduced to a fraction of pre-conflict levels, leading to increasing deaths from preventable diseases and a looming food crisis.

Since the October 7 attacks that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 in Israel, the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have come to rely heavily on UNRWA aid, with about one million seeking refuge in its facilities due to ongoing bombardments.

In reaction to Guterres’ appeal, Israel’s ambassador to the U.N., Gilad Erdan, urged all donor countries to cease their support and demanded a thorough investigation into the involvement of UNRWA staff in terrorist activities.

Erdan’s statement criticized Guterres, suggesting that his call for continued funding showed a lack of concern for the safety of Israeli citizens. Israel has yet to provide detailed evidence of the alleged involvement of UNRWA staff in the attacks. Guterres mentioned that 12 staff members had been implicated, with nine dismissed, one deceased, and the status of two others still under review.

An Israeli government spokesman indicated that, to his knowledge, the intelligence prompting the U.S. funding cut had not been publicly released but noted that further details would be provided in an upcoming briefing.

Observers and aid workers have expressed concerns that suspended funding would worsen hunger in Gaza. "Donors, do not starve children for the sins of a few individual aid workers," said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council. A U.N. expert on the right to food warned that the funding cuts could make famine in Gaza "inevitable."

Even prior to the current conflict, UNRWA was struggling financially and facing the risk of collapse. Many of its staff members are refugees themselves, with at least 150 having been killed since the recent escalation in violence.

Palestinians have voiced their outrage over the funding cuts. "We used to say Israel was launching a war of famine against us in parallel to its war of destruction; now those countries who suspended aid to UNRWA have declared themselves partners in this war," said Yamen Hamad, a resident of an UNRWA-run school in Gaza.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister expressed surprise over the funding pause, stressing that it would exacerbate suffering for Palestinians. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also urged countries to rethink their decisions.

UNRWA’s role has faced long-standing criticism from Israel, which accuses the agency of supporting Hamas—an allegation UNRWA denies. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned Israel’s campaign as an attempt to undermine the Palestinian refugee issue.

Although no immediate action to restore funding has been observed, countries like Norway and Ireland have pledged to continue their financial support for UNRWA. Norway’s Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of the agency as a lifeline for millions in dire circumstances in Gaza and the broader region.

Israel has been critical of the U.N. and Secretary-General Guterres since the conflict began, with recent comments suggesting that Guterres has not sufficiently condemned Hamas and is too aligned with Iran.

UNRWA was established to assist refugees following Israel’s founding in 1948 and has provided essential services in education, health, and humanitarian aid across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.