During the Noon Briefing at Headquarters in New York on Tuesday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric stated that although we are actively addressing these concerns, it is important for the humanitarian efforts to continue.

He stated that the civilians in Gaza who are enduring hardship require ongoing support from all parties. He emphasized the importance of backing the essential humanitarian efforts of the UN not only in Gaza, but also in the surrounding region. The lives of many individuals rely on this support.

Some significant contributors have stopped providing money while investigations are being conducted into Israel’s claims that 12 out of UNRWA’s 30,000 employees worked with Hamas in the attacks on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 Israelis and 250 being held captive. On January 17, UNRWA initiated an independent assessment of its humanitarian efforts.

The UN Secretary-General plans to meet with 35 Member States and the European Union later today to discuss UNRWA. He will inform them about the allegations and listen to their concerns.

The United Nations does not collaborate with Hamas.

Mr. Dujarric stated that UNRWA shares its staff member lists for Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria with Israel and the Palestinian Authority every year. He also mentioned that there have been no concerns raised by either party.

“UNRWA does not work with Hamas,” he said. “We have operational contact with de facto authorities like in other countries.”

According to him, the UN has not yet received any written reports from Israel regarding the allegations. However, a comprehensive investigation is currently being conducted and the UN has terminated the employment of several agency workers who were involved in the allegations. News sources have reported that two of the individuals believed to be involved have passed away.

The UN Spokesperson stated that our goal is to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire, increase the quantity and improve the quality of aid being delivered, and find a political resolution that would bring us closer to the two-State solution.

What is at stake?

As the war continues and the death toll surpasses 26,000, civilians in Gaza are enduring increasing levels of suffering due to being caught in the crossfire. This has caused growing concerns among those on the ground.

According to Mr. Dujarric, the UN’s organization for coordinating humanitarian efforts, OCHA, stated that Israel has issued a new order for evacuation in western Gaza City. This area was previously inhabited by 300,000 civilians before the current crisis. Additionally, there has been an increase in violence and delays for aid convoys since mid-January.

According to the speaker, UNRWA’s mission to assist over 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza will be impacted.

According to Mr. Dujarric, the financial state will become extremely uncertain following February, as he informed reporters during a Tuesday briefing.

UNRWA operates primarily on donations, with its most recent records showing $1.1 billion in pledges for its programmes for Palestine refugees.

Supplies of food have been delivered to a school in Gaza that is now being used as a shelter managed by UNRWA.

Looming funding cuts

Important contributors, such as the United States, Canada, and Germany, declared that they would stop providing financial support to UNRWA while investigations are ongoing.

Based on data from UNRWA in 2022, the USA is the primary contributor, providing nearly $344 million, which makes up approximately one third of the agency’s yearly budget for operations.

Following reports from the media that Washington will be withholding approximately $1 million and suspending funding until the investigation is concluded, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield addressed reporters outside the Security Council Chamber on Tuesday.

She expressed appreciation for the UN’s choice to launch an inquiry and stated that the US Government has requested additional details from Israel.

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She stated that those involved in the October 7 assaults must be held accountable, but also acknowledged the crucial role that UNRWA plays in providing life-saving aid to Palestinians.

“We must witness significant alterations before we can recommence our financial support,” she stated, also noting that she will address her team’s worries during her meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General on Tuesday afternoon.

She stated that we must not allow this information to diminish the work that UNRWA is doing to offer crucial aid. She acknowledged that the UN agency has saved countless lives.

Consequences that could result in either life or death.

Humanitarian organizations are sounding the alarm that there is an insufficient amount of food available. Some are expressing concerns about potential famine, sickness, and forced relocation in the region.

According to Johan Sufi, the former head of legal affairs for UNRWA, the agency cannot fulfill its duty of providing aid without proper funding. This was stated in an interview with UN News on Monday.

According to Mr. Sufi, the agency will be unable to function without its funding. He previously led UNRWA’s legal division from 2020 to 2022 and stated that this loss of funding will have an immediate impact on the salaries of staff and the agency’s ability to provide humanitarian aid to the community.

The primary concern is the potential impact on the population, including lack of access to water, food, medical care, and other humanitarian assistance. The speaker cautioned that UNRWA, as the primary provider of aid, faces serious and urgent challenges.

The ICJ has determined that there is a high likelihood of genocide occurring in the Gaza Strip. One of the contributing factors is the deteriorating conditions that could lead to increased physical harm for a portion of Gaza’s inhabitants.

Regarding the recent budget reductions, he stated that “this choice could result in immediate effects.”

He stated that we are discussing a highly critical issue with potential consequences of life or death.

Source: news.un.org