The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, held a confidential meeting with representatives from 35 donor nations on Tuesday evening, renewing calls for the resumption of funding and donations to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
In the meeting, Guterres briefed the ambassadors, including representatives from the European Union, on the measures he has taken following allegations that 12 UNRWA staff members participated in Hamas attacks in Southern Israel on October 7th. Describing the Israeli claims as “horrifying,” Guterres has initiated an investigation into the matter.
The Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, informed journalists post-meeting that the Secretary-General appealed to several countries, which had suspended their funding for UNRWA following these allegations, to reconsider their decisions. He also urged other nations to intensify their fundraising efforts.
Mansour added that since October 7th, 153 UNRWA staff members have been killed in Gaza, marking the highest number of United Nations personnel fatalities in a conflict since World War II.
Mansour implored donors not to take steps that would constitute collective punishment for millions of Palestinian refugees. He commended Norway, Spain, and other countries that have stated they will not suspend aid.
United Nations spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, earlier told reporters that no other organization but UNRWA has the necessary infrastructure to do what it does in Gaza and the Middle East. He emphasized, “It is in no way feasible for another agency to quickly replace UNRWA.”
Dujarric also mentioned to the press that UNRWA annually submits a list of its employees – numbering 13,000 staff in Gaza – to Israel and the Palestinian Authority. He added, “As far as UNRWA officials have informed me, these concerns were not raised when the employee list was submitted.”
The UN’s plea for continued support for UNRWA comes amidst serious allegations and a critical need for humanitarian assistance. The organization’s role in supporting Palestinian refugees remains a focal point of international discussions, highlighting the ongoing complexities in the Middle East.
