The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has sufficient funds to continue its operations at the end of May, after many donors suspended their funding due to Israel’s accusations according to where part of the organization’s personnel allegedly participated in the attack on Palestinian refugees. militant group Hamas on October 7, the UNRWA chief said Tuesday.
“What I can say today is that we can complete our operations by the end of May, whereas a month ago I only had visibility for one or two weeks,” UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini told Reuters in Geneva.
“But it also shows how dire the financial situation of the organization is.”
UNRWA, which provides essential aid and services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and across the region, has been in crisis since Israel accused 12 of its 13,000 staff in Gaza of involvement in the attack on the country. October 7, which triggered war in the Palestinian enclave.
The allegations have prompted several countries, including the United States, to suspend funding. Many countries, including Canada, Australia, Finland and Sweden, have since resumed contributions.
“I hope a lot of them come back,” Lazzarini said of the donors.
According to a report published last week, Israel has informed the United Nations that it will no longer approve UNRWA food convoys to northern Gaza, where famine is likely to break out by May. An Israeli government spokesperson said Monday that Israel will stop cooperating with UNRWA in Gaza.
Lazzarini described Israel’s decision not to allow UNRWA food convoys to reach northern Gaza as aimed at “preventing the survival of people in danger of dying.”
“Plan B is to go back to plan A. It is extremely important that the convoys have access to the north,” Lazzarini said. “We will definitely be looking for partnerships, who else can do it on our behalf. Our focus is the people who are at risk of death right now in northern Gaza.”
Source: Terra
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