US states that aid to UNRWA could be suspended and redirected to other institutions
The US Department of State has announced that if Congress approves the supplemental funding bill, aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) could be terminated and redirected to other institutions.
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US Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel answered questions from journalists at the daily press briefing.
Confirming that the Senate is preparing a bill to block aid to UNRWA due to "allegations that some of its members have ties to Hamas," Patel noted that the UN has also launched an investigation into the matter and stated that this development will be reviewed.
"WE WILL CONTINUE TO CONSULT CLOSELY WITH OTHER DONORS"
Patel said, "From the US perspective, we want to see concrete results from these approaches. In the meantime, we will continue to consult closely with other donors on how we can continue to meet urgent humanitarian needs in Gaza."
The deputy spokesperson also indicated that UNRWA's funding could be directed to "other partners" to provide aid to Gaza, such as the World Food Programme, UNICEF, and other NGOs.
Vedant Patel emphasized that they attach importance to the investigation being concluded quickly and that they are aware of "how vital" UNRWA's work is.
In a response letter sent to the US House of Representatives on December 31, 2023, UNRWA reported that the agency's main function in Gaza is to support 1.7 million displaced Palestinians and that the investigation into its employees alleged to have ties to Hamas is being conducted transparently.
A bill announced by US Senators on Sunday included a provision that would block funds provided to UNRWA.
UNRWA'S FUNCTION AND ISRAEL'S ALLEGATIONS
Funded by voluntary contributions from UN member states, UNRWA has been the primary organization providing humanitarian aid such as food, health, education, and shelter to Palestinian refugees since it began operations in 1950.
The agency currently supports 5.9 million Palestinian refugees.
While UNRWA has been trying to heal the wounds of Palestinians for nearly 74 years, its facilities have been hit repeatedly by Israel during this process, and tons of food and medicine have been destroyed.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had requested an urgent investigation into the allegations by Israeli officials that UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7, 2023 attacks. UNRWA also launched an investigation into Israel's allegations.
Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Finland, Iceland, Australia, the UK, the Netherlands, the US, France, Austria, Japan, and Estonia have announced that they have decided to temporarily suspend their financial support to UNRWA.
On the other hand, Norway, Ireland, and Spain have announced that they will continue their support for UNRWA.