Defunding UNRWA ‘collective punishment’ for 2 million Gazans, says chief

The head of the Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA has said that certain Western countries' decision to defund the UN body is a “collective punishment” that will cut the “lifeline” 2 million people in Gaza depend on.

UNRWA lifesaving assistance is about to end, Philippe Lazzarini wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter On Sunday.

“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 few individuals and as the war continues, needs are deepening and famine looms,” he wrote.

“Palestinians in Gaza did not need this additional collective punishment. This stains all of us,” he added.

UNRWA announced on Friday that it had opened an investigation after Israel alleged that some of its employees were involved in the Hamas Operation Al-Aqsa Storm on October 7.

“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,” Lazzarini said in a statement on Friday.

However, this prompted the US to announce on Friday that it was halting funding to UNRWA because of the Israeli allegations against the agency’s 12 employees.

Canada and Australia followed suit and announced a similar funding pause to UNRWA which is a critical source of support for people in Gaza.

Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Scotland, and Finland on Saturday joined the United States in pausing funding to the aid agency.

Ireland and Norway, however, expressed continued support for UNRWA, saying the agency does crucial work to help Palestinians displaced and in desperate need of assistance in Gaza.

Hamas slams Israel over threats to stop UNRWA activities in Gaza after war

Hamas has condemned the Israeli regime’s “threats” against UNRWA to stop the UN body from operating in Gaza after the war, urging the world body and other international organizations not to “cave in to the threats and blackmail.”

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, slammed Israeli “threats” against the agency, urging the world body and other international organizations not to “cave in to the threats and blackmail.”

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary General Hussein al-Sheikh said the countries’ decision “entails great political and humanitarian relief risks.”

“At this particular time and in light of the continuing aggression against the Palestinian people, we need the maximum support for this international organization and not stopping support and assistance to it,” he wrote on X, urging the countries to “immediately reverse their decision.”

Former UK opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn called the UK’s decision to suspend UNRWA assistance an act of “collective punishment” against the people of Gaza.

“Yesterday, the ICJ found a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza. Today, the UK has joined others in suspending funding to UNRWA,” Corbyn said in a post on X on Saturday.

On Friday, in a case filed by South Africa against the Israeli regime over genocide in the Gaza Strip the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has found it is “plausible” that Israel has committed acts that violate the Genocide Convention.

Yesterday, the ICJ found a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza.

Today, the UK has joined others in suspending funding to UNRWA.

This is collective punishment — our government should be ashamed of its moral depravity toward Palestinians starving to death.

— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) January 27, 2024

Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian politician, also slammed the Western countries for making a decision while the issue is still under investigation.

“They don’t even ask for an independent investigation or wait for the results of UNRWA’s investigation. They immediately take measures against a whole organization that’s providing vital services to the captive and slaughtered people of Gaza, on the basis of accusations against 12” Ashrawi wrote in a post on X.

They don’t even ask for an independent investigation or wait for the results of UNRWA’s investigation. They immediately take measures against a whole organisation that’s providing vital services to the captive & slaughtered people of Gaza, on the basis of accusations against 12. https://t.co/UfPAvrrQFy

— Hanan Ashrawi (@DrHananAshrawi) January 27, 2024

UNRWA has always rejected accusations of ties with Hamas in the past and maintained it is a relief and humanitarian agency.

On the 113^th day since the start of the aggression, Israel has killed more than 26,257 Palestinians, mostly women and children and wounded 64,797.

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