Portugal has announced a one-time contribution of 10 million euros ($10.89 million) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This funding aims to provide food, medicine, and humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Mariana Vieira da Silva, acting Minister for Cabinet Affairs, disclosed the aid package following a council meeting.
A foreign ministry official described it as additional assistance not allocated in the state’s 2024 budget. Following accusations from Israel against UNRWA staff in Gaza, the United States, UNRWA’s largest donor, along with several other countries, ceased funding the agency in January.
Portugal, maintaining its support, contributed four million euros to UNRWA in 2023 and pledged an additional one million euros in February of this year. Prime Minister António Costa, ahead of a European Council meeting in Brussels, expressed his intention to inform UN Secretary-General António Guterres, also a Portuguese national, about the contribution. Costa condemned the October 7 attack on Israel, emphasizing the need for a unified condemnation of Israel’s current defense actions.
The funding cuts to UNRWA, initiated by major donors including the United States, Canada, and Germany, have placed the agency under severe financial strain. These cuts are largely a response to allegations of collusion between a dozen of UNRWA’s staff members and Hamas in the October 7 attacks, leading to a comprehensive review and investigation of the agency’s operations. The implications of these funding suspensions are critical, with UNRWA’s humanitarian efforts in Gaza and other regions facing imminent jeopardy. The agency, which serves millions of Palestinian refugees, provides essential services like food, healthcare, and education.
In Lebanon, UNRWA’s operations are on the brink of shutting down by March due to these financial constraints. The cessation of funds threatens the livelihood of 250,000 Palestinians in Lebanon, many of whom are already living below the poverty line and rely on UNRWA for lifesaving services. Similarly, in Gaza, the funding crisis has led to warnings of a potential complete collapse of humanitarian response, exacerbating the already dire situation marked by widespread displacement and shortages of basic necessities.
These developments have drawn criticism from various NGOs, including Oxfam, which have expressed outrage over the funding cuts, especially given the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. They argue that the cuts undermine essential aid and protection for millions of Palestinians, calling for the reinstatement of funding to ensure the continued provision of vital services by UNRWA .
