In addition to financial assistance, India continues to provide humanitarian assistance and medicines to UNRWA to assist the Agency in meeting its responsibilities…reports Asian Lite News
India has released the second tranche of $2.5 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), fullfilling its annual contribution of USD 5 million for the year 2024-25, Representative Office of India to Palestine said on Monday.
Over the years, in its endeavour to support the Palestinian refugees and their welfare, India has provided financial support to the tune of $40 million for the UN Agency’s core programmes and services, including education, healthcare, relief and social services provided to Palestinian refugees, the release said.
In addition to financial assistance, India continues to provide humanitarian assistance and medicines to UNRWA to assist the Agency in meeting its responsibilities towards the welfare of Palestinian refugees, it added.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had on Friday extended his felicitations to the government and people of State of Palestine on their Declaration of Independence Day.
He said India is committed to developmental partnership and long-standing friendship with Palestine.
“Warm felicitation to the Government and people of State of Palestine on their Declaration of Independence Day. Committed to deepening our developmental partnership and long-standing friendship,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.
The post said India supplied 30 tons of medical supplies comprising essential life-saving and anti-cancer drugs to Palestine in October this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas in September this year on the sidelines of the Summit of the Future in New York.
Prime Minister had expressed deep concern at the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and the deteriorating security situation in the region and reaffirmed India’s unwavering support to the people of Palestine, including continued humanitarian assistance. (ANI)
UNRWA reported that six of its employees, who had been providing aid to families taking refuge in the facility, were killed.
Countries in the Middle East condemned on Thursday an Israeli airstrike on a school operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in Gaza’s al-Nuseirat refugee camp, which occurred on Wednesday and resulted in 18 fatalities.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) asserted that the target was a Hamas command and control centre concealed within the shelter. UNRWA reported that six of its employees, who had been providing aid to families taking refuge in the facility, were killed, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry described the attack as a “blatant violation of international laws,” criticized the targeting of international and UN facilities, and called for accountability for the perpetrators. Egypt emphasized the urgent need to address “Israeli breaches” and urged influential parties to ensure Israel’s compliance with international obligations.
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the strike as a “blatant violation of international law” and a “new war crime” amidst ongoing Israeli actions in Gaza. Spokesperson Sufian Qudah denounced the attack as part of Israel’s “ongoing aggression,” which he argued contradicted human values and international law. He called for immediate international intervention and support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Saudi Arabia also condemned the attack in the “strongest” terms. The Saudi foreign ministry called for an immediate ceasefire, civilian protection, and an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, criticized Israeli violations of international law, and urged accountability for attacks on relief facilities.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned the strike on social media, highlighting that schools and shelters in Gaza had become primary targets. Kanaani called on the US, UK, France, Germany, Canada, and Australia to address their role in supplying arms to Israel.
Qatar’s foreign ministry labelled the attack a “horrifying massacre,” describing it as further evidence of Israel’s “criminal practices” violating international humanitarian law. Qatar demanded an urgent international investigation and the deployment of independent UN investigators to assess the ongoing targeting of schools and shelters.
Iraq also condemned the school attack, with Iraqi government spokesman Bassem Al-Awadi stating that the Israeli attack was part of a “brutal and criminal” pattern of violence against Palestinian civilians and infrastructure.
‘Endless & senseless killing’
UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres deplored the killings and said these “dramatic violations of international humanitarian law” needs to stop.
“What’s happening in Gaza is totally unacceptable. A school turned shelter for around 12,000 people was hit by Israeli airstrikes again today. Six of our @UNRWA colleagues are among those killed. These dramatic violations of international humanitarian law need to stop now,” the UN chief stated in a post on X.
What's happening in Gaza is totally unacceptable.
A school turned shelter for around 12,000 people was hit by Israeli airstrikes again today.
Six of our @UNRWA colleagues are among those killed.
These dramatic violations of international humanitarian law need to stop now.
UN Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini also deplored the killings and said that at least 220 UNRWA staff have been killed in this war. He further added that “longer the impunity prevails,” the more international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions will become “irrelevant.”
“Endless & senseless killing, day after day. Another school sheltering displaced people hit in Nuseirat today. Among the people killed are six @UNRWAstaff working & providing support to families who have sought refuge in the school.
“Since the beginning of this war, at least 220 UNRWA staff have been killed in #GazaHumanitarian staff, premises& operations have been blatantly & unabatedly disregarded since the beginning of the war. The longer impunity prevails, the more international humanitarian law & the Geneva conventions will become irrelevant,” he added.
Meanwhile, the UN reported that health workers are continuing efforts to vaccinate young children in northern Gaza against polio, part of a wider campaign to defeat the disease, which can cause paralysis.
More than 81,600 boys and girls were vaccinated as of Tuesday, according to preliminary data from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Polio was detected in Gaza in June and UN agencies and partners launched a two-round campaign this month to provide over 640,000 children with two doses of novel oral polio vaccine type 2.
So far, nearly 5,28,000 children have been reached in the first round.
“More than 230 teams are on the ground trying to reach all children under the age of 10 with the first batch of the polio vaccination,” UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in New York, adding that “they will need to do this again in four weeks.”
The Palestinian death toll in Gaza had reached 41,118, according to health authorities in the region, amid Israel’s large-scale offensive against Hamas that began in response to a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
A minute of silence in memory of the staff of UNRWA
and all others who lost their lives in the ongoing conflict
Without UNRWA support and funding, Palestine Refugees will lose a vital lifeline and their hope for a better future, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.
Without the necessary support and financing from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees will lose a critical lifeline and the last ray of hope for a better future, warned Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres in his remarks at UNRWA Pledging Conference today.
”Women and men of UNRWA have bravely continued their work in whatever way they can. They are the backbone of humanitarian operations in Gaza. Let me be clear: there is no alternative to UNRWA,” he emphasised.
”This year is different. Yes, we face a profound funding gap. But Palestinians are seeing widening gaps across the board. Gaps in respect for international humanitarian law. Gaps in recognition of universal human rights and dignity for all. And, for Palestinians in Gaza, not just a gap – but death, destruction and a total breakdown in law and order.”
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA
Yet Palestinians – including, of course, Palestine Refugees – are enduring the deadliest period since the agency’s creation. As we are all painfully aware, the horror has not spared UNRWA colleagues. 195 UNRWA staff members have been killed, the highest staff death toll in UN history,” he noted.
”My appeal to everyone is this: Protect UNRWA, protect UNRWA staff, and protect UNRWA’s mandate — including through funding.”
”I urge you to act – and act now. Act to instil hope in a place where it is in short supply. Act to uphold the mandate of this General Assembly to sustain UNRWA. Act in solidarity with Palestine Refugees and all the Palestinian people,” he concluded.
Following evacuation orders demanding people to flee to so-called safe zones, people mainly went to the middle areas in Gaza and Khan Younis, including to destroyed buildings, according to UNRWA…reports Asian Lite News
Roughly 800,000 people have been forced to flee Rafah since Israel launched a military operation in the area on 6 May, the head of UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA said on Saturday in a renewed appeal for greater protection of civilians in Gaza, safe humanitarian access and, ultimately, a ceasefire.
“Once again, nearly half of the population of Rafah or 800,000 people are on the road,” Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote in post on the social media platform X. formerly Twitter.
He said that following evacuation orders demanding people to flee to so-called safe zones, people mainly went to the middle areas in Gaza and Khan Younis, including to destroyed buildings.
“The claim that people in Gaza can move to ‘safe’ or ‘humanitarian’ zones is false. Each time, it puts the lives of civilians at serious risk,” Lazzarini stated.
“Gaza does not have any safe zones,” he added. “No place is safe. No one is safe.”
False accusations against UNRWA: Jordan
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi has said that anyone claiming the situation in the Gaza Strip is improving is not telling the truth, and accusations against the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) have been proven false.
He made the remarks at a joint press conference in Amman with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, during which he said on Sunday that UNRWA is fulfilling its duty in the Palestinian enclave despite the circumstances of the Gaza conflict, Xinhua news agency reported.
Safadi confirmed that Jordan continues to stand by UNRWA, the role of which cannot be dispensed with or replaced by any other entity, according to a statement by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry.
He stressed that the investigation conducted by an independent committee confirmed that UNRWA has all the tools to ensure that its actions adhere to all principles, ethics, and charters of the United Nations.
“The accusations have been proven false and the attempt to politically assassinate UNRWA has failed,” said Safadi.
For his part, Lazzarini thanked Jordan for its support for the agency and its solidarity with Palestinian refugees.
Lazzarini stressed that despite all the international community’s calls, Israel invaded and attacked the southernmost Gaza city of Rafah on May 6, with half of Gaza’s population forced to flee.
He pointed out that the two main crossings in the south, Rafah Crossing, and Kerem Shalom Crossing, have turned into conflict zones, and there are currently no crossings to transport aid across the borders.
Lazzarini noted that “198 UNRWA employees were killed, 160 sites were completely or partially destroyed, and employees were arrested, tortured, and forced to confess to crimes they did not commit”.
Egypt demands opening of all Israeli crossings for aid
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry stressed on Friday the need for Israel to open all land crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip for full, safe, and unhindered access to humanitarian and relief aid into the war-torn area.
Shoukry made the remarks during a phone conversation with Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The top Egyptian diplomat and the UN official touched on the dangers of Israeli military operations in Rafah, as well as the Israeli control over the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing.
They also stressed the need to ensure safe conditions for humanitarian aid to enter the Rafah crossing and end military operations in its vicinity.
Shoukry affirmed the importance of Israel respecting and protecting humanitarian workers, not targeting the headquarters of international relief agencies, as well as ensuring the access and freedom of movement of relief crews in the Gaza Strip.
On May 7, Israel’s military started “a precise counterterrorism operation” in Rafah and assumed “operational control” over the Rafah crossing in Gaza. Since then, the crossing has been blocked against the movement of travelers and trucks carrying aid to more than 2 million Palestinians in the enclave.
UNRWA, the main humanitarian organization operating in the Palestinian territories since 1950, was not involved in the talks because the Israel Defense Forces have refused to deal with it…reports Asian Lite News
Israel has proposed to the UN the dismantlement of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, UNRWA, and suggested transitioning its responsibilities and staff to a new entity in exchange for allowing more food aid deliveries into Gaza.
The proposal was presented by Israel’s Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi in discussions with UN officials in Israel earlier in March. These officials then relayed the proposal to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday, sources familiar with the discussions told the Guardian.
UNRWA, the main humanitarian organization operating in the Palestinian territories since 1950, was not involved in the talks because the Israel Defense Forces have refused to deal with it. This is on the basis of unverified claims that some of the agency’s staff participated in the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.
The IDF has yet to substantiate these claims, which have prompted a suspension of $450 million in funding from 16 major donors. This funding freeze comes at a critical time as Israel’s blockade is driving 2.3 million residents of Gaza to the brink of famine.
The proposal details the transition of 300 to 400 UNRWA staff to either an existing UN agency, like the World Food Programme, WFP, or a newly established organization focused on food distribution in Gaza.
The plan includes the eventual transfer of more UNRWA employees and assets, though it remains unclear who would manage the new entity or ensure the security of its operations.
Tamara Alrifai, the agency’s director of external relations, highlighted concerns that the proposed new entity’s limited scale would undermine effective aid distribution in Gaza, emphasizing UNRWA’s extensive infrastructure and human resource capabilities.
“This is no criticism of WFP, but logically if they were to start food distribution in Gaza tomorrow, they’re going to use UNRWA trucks and bring food into UNRWA warehouses, and then distribute food in or around UNRWA shelters,” she told the Guardian.
“So they’re going to need at a minimum the same infrastructure that we have, including the human resources.”
UNRWA is by far the largest aid organization in Gaza, employing 13,000 people when the war broke out, 3,000 of whom are still working. In addition to distributing food, the agency is a major employer in Gaza, providing education and critical medical services as the enclave’s healthcare system crumbles.
“It’s not just food. We have seven healthcare centers now running in Gaza, we give 23,000 consultations every day, and we have administered 53,000 vaccines since the war started. So that in itself is an entire field that no other agency right now can offer,” Alrifai said.
“It’s great that we’re focusing on food because of the famine, and we are raising the alarm about malnutrition, but UNRWA is so much more than food distribution.”
Some UN officials see the Israeli plan as an attempt to portray the UN as unwilling to cooperate if there is famine in Gaza, which humanitarian organizations have warned is impending.
Others in the UN, several aid agencies, and human rights organizations see the Israeli proposal as the result of a long-running campaign to eliminate UNRWA.
“If we allow this, it is the slippery slope to us being completely managed directly by the Israelis, and the UN directly being complicit in undermining UNRWA, which is not only the biggest aid provider but also the biggest bastion of anti-extremism in Gaza,” one UN official told the Guardian. “We would be playing into so many political agendas if we allowed this to happen.”
The US has privately endorsed Israel’s proposal to integrate the functions of UNRWA into other UN agencies. However, this initiative has faced opposition from various donors and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has consistently supported UNRWA.
During a visit last week to a refugee camp in Jordan, Guterres emphasized the importance of UNRWA, adding that it would be “cruel and incomprehensible” to stop its services to Palestinians.
UNRWA’s authority and continuation are sanctioned by the UN General Assembly, which is the only body with the power to determine the agency’s destiny.
Several UN aid officials assert that only UNRWA has the resources and trust of ordinary Palestinians to deliver food aid to Gaza. And that attempting to create a new aid organization for political reasons in response to Israeli demands amid its relentless bombardment of Gaza would be disastrous.
“It is outrageous that UN agencies like WFP and senior UN officials are engaging in discussions about dismantling UNRWA,” former UNRWA spokesperson Chris Gunness told the Guardian. “The General Assembly gives UNRWA its mandate and only the General Assembly can change it, not the secretary-general and certainly not a single member state.”
It may be noted that the IDF had discovered a tunnel shaft near a UNRWA school during its raids near the UNRWA head office in Gaza…reports Asian Lite News
Foreign Minister of Israel, Israel Kantz and the permanent representative of the country in the United Nations, Gilad Erdan along with a host of other senior leaders have demanded the resignation of Philippe Lazzarini, chief of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestinian Refugees of the Near East (UNRWA).
The demand arose after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unearthed a tunnel shaft under the headquarters of the UNRWA that houses important data centres of the terror outfit, Hamas.
Kantz while commenting on X said, “The exposure of UNRWA’s Gaza headquarters’ deep involvement with Hamas, including its use for terror activities and as an access point to terror tunnels, requires immediate action. Commissioner-General Lazzarini’s claim of unawareness is not only absurd but also an affront to common sense. His prompt resignation is imperative.”
Erdan also came out strongly against the UNRWA chief and said, “It’s not that you didn’t know, it’s that you didn’t WANT to know. We exposed terror tunnels under UNRWA schools and supplied evidence that Hamas’ exploits UNRWA. We implored you to carry out a comprehensive search of all UNRWA facilities in Gaza. But not only did you refuse, you chose to stick your head in the sand.”
He further said, “Take responsibility and resign today!”
Lazzirini had in an earlier statement on X said, “UNRWA did not know what is under its headquarters in Gaza. UNRWA staff left its headquarters in Gaza City on 12 October following the Israeli evacuation orders and as bombardment intensified in the area. We have not used that compound since we left it, nor are we aware of any activity that may have taken place there,”
He also stated that they perform routine checks on all of their premises, saying, “In times of ‘no active conflict,’ UNRWA inspects inside its premises every quarter. The last inspection for the UNRWA Gaza premises was completed in September 2023.
It may be noted that the IDF had discovered a tunnel shaft near a UNRWA school during its raids near the UNRWA head office in Gaza.
The tunnel shaft, near an UNRWA school, led to an underground shelter that served as a valuable asset for Hamas’s military intelligence wing, according to the IDF. The route connected to UNRWA‘s central headquarters in Gaza strip.
The IDF said that the tunnel was 700 meters long and 18 meters deep and contained several constructed side doors to various new routes.
IDF soldiers also discovered electric infrastructure inside the tunnels that were connected to the UNRWA headquarters building, indicating that UNRWA assets were supplying Hamas with electricity.
The IDF stated that the newly acquired intelligence from this operation will allow it to conduct additional raids on Hamas in the future.
Guterres said the group will “assess” whether UNWRA is doing “everything within its power to ensure neutrality…reports Asian Lite News
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has established an “independent” Review Group to look into how UNRWA (UN Relief Workers Agency for the Palestinian areas) workers took part in the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7.
Guterres said the group will “assess” whether UNWRA is doing “everything within its power to ensure neutrality and to respond to allegations of serious breaches when they are made.”
The review will be led by Catherine Colonna, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, who will work with three research organizations: the Raoul Wallenberg Institute in Sweden, the Chr. Michelsen Institute in Norway, and the Danish Institute for Human Rights.
The Review Group will begin its work on February 14, 2024 and is expected to submit an interim report to the Secretary-General late March 2024, with a final report expected to be completed by late April 2024. The final report will be made public.
The Review Group will determine what, if any, “mechanisms and procedures” that UNWRA has in place to “ensure neutrality,” if they have been implemented and assess the “adequacy” of those mechanisms and procedures and whether they are fit for purpose, including in relation to the management of risks and taking into account the particular operational, political and security context in which the Agency works.
It will also make recommendations for the” improvement and strengthening, if necessary,” of the mechanisms and procedures that are currently in place or for the creation of new and alternative mechanisms and procedures that “would be better fit for purpose.”
Meanwhile, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees was notified that its Israeli bank account was blocked over unusual activity as an expert explained to the Tazpit Press Service that “every war is ultimately reflected in the banks.”
Bank Leumi, one of Israel’s largest and oldest banking institutions, alerted UNRWA to suspicious financial transfers, but the UN agency did not provide satisfactory explanations, prompting bank officials to freeze the account, the Israel Hayom daily reported on Sunday.
In particular, the bank said it was unable to trace the source or final destination of several money transfers, and is concerned money is being used to fund terrorism, the report said.
Officials from Bank Leumi and UNRWA did not respond to the Tazpit Press Service’s requests to comment.
Israel demands that UNRWA be stripped of its authority in Gaza amid revelations that members of the agency’s staff participated in Hamas’s October 7 attacks on Israel. The US and 14 other countries have suspended funding for the agency.
Israel provided intelligence incriminating 12 staffers of their participation, including using UNRWA vehicles and facilities as 1,200 Israelis were massacred. The New York Times received leaked information incriminating 12 UNRWA employees of participating in the attack and even using agency vehicles.
The Wall Street Journal subsequently reported that one in 10 UNRWA employees is either an active member or has ties to Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
We Had the Information ‘For Years’: “The basic idea says that when there is a war beyond weapons, there is the economic weapon, and every war is ultimately reflected in the banks,” Dr. Alex Coman told TPS. Coman is a senior financial analyst and a professor at the Academic College of Tel Aviv-Yaffo.
Banks monitor transactions as part of their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing efforts. These measures are in place to detect and prevent the illicit flow of funds. Banks that don’t comply can be cut off from the SWIFT network, which enables banks and other financial institutions worldwide to send and receive standardized, secure messages, such as payment orders, fund transfer instructions, and other financial information, Coman explained.
“This mechanism worked very well when the accounts of many Russian oligarchs abroad were blocked” after Russia invaded Ukraine, he noted. (ANI/TPS)
: UAE Foreign Minister H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed meets with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini in Abu Dhabi. (Photo: WAM)
In meeting with UNRWA Commissioner-General, UAE foreign minister reiterated the country’s unwavering support for the agency, highlighting that sustaining its humanitarian efforts has become an urgent priority…reports Asian Lite News
UAE Foreign Minister H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed that supporting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is essential to consolidating security and stability in the region.
He made this statement during his meeting yesterday in Abu Dhabi with Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, during which they discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and their humanitarian fallout.
The meeting touched on ways to meet the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip, and the efforts to deliver relief and medical aid to civilians.
During the meeting, the UAE top diplomat reiterated the UAE’s unwavering support for UNRWA, highlighting that in light of the current challenges, sustaining its humanitarian efforts has become an urgent priority, requiring concerted efforts from the international community to support the agency and all UN efforts made to provide relief to the Palestinian people.
He also expressed his appreciation for the UN and UNRWA’s immediate action to investigate the allegations made against a number of individuals, stressing that this step reflects the agency’s firm commitment to UN values and its noble humanitarian goals.
Sheikh Abdullah reiterated the call on donor countries that have suspended their funding to UNRWA to reconsider their decision.
He affirmed that UNRWA plays a vital role in relieving the suffering of the Palestinian people, especially those in the Gaza Strip, adding that the UAE is keen to stand by it and support its humanitarian efforts.
The UAE foreign minister also stressed that ending extremism, tensions and violence in the region and reaching a lasting ceasefire is the path to ensuring the protection of all civilians, preventing further loss of life and providing the necessary humanitarian support to the Palestinian people.
The meeting was attended by Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs and UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Last week, Sheikh Abdullah had met with Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza, and discussed enhancing relief and medical aid delivery to the Palestinian people in a safe and sustainable manner.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has said that there would be “disastrous repercussions” in the stability of the region if funding for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is halted.
The Qatar Prime Minister was speaking to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, according to Hebrew media reports.
Media reports stated that the Qatar Prime Minister has stressed the “severe consequences” of discontinuing funding to the UNRWA and emphasized that halting financial support to the agency could lead to “disastrous repercussions”.
He also showcased its pivotal role in ensuring regional stability and providing humanitarian relief.
The discussion, as per reports, brought to the forefront the critical situation in the Middle East, particularly in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The Qatar Prime Minister highlighted the “indispensable” contribution of UNRWA in supporting millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
He further indicated that the stability of the region and the welfare of millions of people rely on the continuity of the agency’s operations.
Earlier, Israel said that UNRWA was “totally infiltrated” by Hamas and wants it to be replaced by another aid agency. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had conveyed this to the Ambassadors of the UN during a meeting with them on Wednesday at Jerusalem.
Israel had conveyed to the UN and funding countries that 12 UNRWA staff members had directly participated in the October 7 attack when Hamas swarmed into Israel killing 1,200 people and holding 253 hostage.
Israel has in its report presented before the UN stated that of the 12 UNRWA staff who had directly participated in the attack, seven were UNRWA teachers, two were educational consultants and others were administrative staff of the Agency.
Qatar Prime Minister has stressed the “severe consequences” of discontinuing funding to the UNRWA…reports Asian Lite News
Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani has said that there would be “disastrous repercussions” in the stability of the region if funding for United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is halted.
The Qatar Prime Minister was speaking to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York, according to Hebrew media reports.
Media reports stated that the Qatar Prime Minister has stressed the “severe consequences” of discontinuing funding to the UNRWA and emphasized that halting financial support to the agency could lead to “disastrous repercussions”.
He also showcased its pivotal role in ensuring regional stability and providing humanitarian relief.
The discussion, as per reports, brought to the forefront the critical situation in the Middle East, particularly in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The Qatar Prime Minister highlighted the “indispensable” contribution of UNRWA in supporting millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
He further indicated that the stability of the region and the welfare of millions of people rely on the continuity of the agency’s operations.
The UAE foreign minister urged international multilateral work to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, protect civilian lives and facilitate urgent humanitarian relief…reports Asian Lite News
UAE has allocated $5 million in support of efforts of chief United Nations Coordinator for the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), Sigrid Kaag, towards the reconstruction of the Gaza strip after major funding cuts left its operations under threat, state news agency (WAM) reported.
The announcement came after UAE’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met with Kaag to discuss enhancing relief and medical aid delivery to the Palestinian people in a safe and sustainable manner.
Both officials reviewed ways to quickly address the worsening humanitarian crisis, reaffirming the importance of UNRWA and the need to support the agency’s humanitarian aid efforts for Palestinian refugees.
The UAE foreign minister urged international multilateral work to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, protect civilian lives and facilitate urgent humanitarian relief.
Major donors to UNRWA earlier suspended funding after allegations emerged that around 12 of its tens of thousands of Palestinian employees were suspected of involvement in the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel by Hamas.
