
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell issued a stern warning on Sunday, cautioning against the suspension of funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
Borrell deemed such actions as “extremely ill-advised,” highlighting the disproportionate and perilous nature of defunding UNRWA.
The agency has become embroiled in controversy following allegations of employee involvement in the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.
Borrell emphasized the critical role of UNRWA in providing essential aid to over 1.1 million people in Gaza, who are grappling with catastrophic hunger and the outbreak of diseases.
Expressing concern, he stated that defunding the agency would endanger hundreds of thousands of lives, stressing the significance of its humanitarian mission.
In a blog article, Borrell underscored the urgency of the situation, noting that the agency had taken immediate steps by launching an investigation into the allegations.
He deemed the accusations serious and insisted that they should not go unpunished if proven true.
Borrell added that suspended total funds currently currently amount to “more than $440 million, or around half the agency’s expected funds for 2024.”
More than a dozen countries, including major donors like the United States, Germany, Britain, and Sweden, have suspended funding to UNRWA over the alleged involvement of 12 staff members in the October 7 attack.
UNRWA, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Norway, has warned that it may have to cease operations by the end of the month if funding is significantly reduced.
The United Nations has announced an audit into UNRWA’s operations, with the results determining whether the organization should be suspended.
Borrell expressed confidence that the inquiry would be completed before the launch of an independent external investigation, coinciding with the next payment from the European Commission due at the end of the month.