Espen Barth Eide has said that the funds will go to the UN agency’s efforts to provide assistance “to the 5.9 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan”.
“UNRWA is the backbone of humanitarian efforts in Gaza. Its services are critical for millions of people in extreme need,” he said in a statement.
A number of major donors are withholding funding following allegations that 12 of the organisation’s 13,000 staff in Gaza were involved in the October 7 attack.
“We should not collectively punish millions of people for the alleged wrongdoing of 12 staff members. I urge all donors that have suspended their support to think about the consequences. The situation is dire not only for the population of Gaza, but also for Palestinians throughout the Middle East,” Eide said.
