Calay News
The European Commission announced on Friday that the European Union will release €50 million (approximately $54 million) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the coming week.
This decision comes at a critical moment, stated Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of UNRWA, on social media. The UN official had warned a week ago that the agency was at a “breaking point” due to repeated calls from Israel to dismantle it and the suspension of funding from donors.
A Commission spokesperson mentioned that the funds would be disbursed after the agency accepts a “series of conditions,” including an audit, with an additional €32 million (about $34 million) to be delivered later.
UNRWA became embroiled in controversy after Israel accused 12 of its employees of being involved in a Hamas attack on October 7. Following these allegations, 16 countries suspended their financial contributions to the agency.
UNRWA promptly disassociated the accused employees and initiated an internal investigation to determine the facts. Despite the accusations, the international community agreed on the agency’s crucial role in delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians, particularly in the Gaza Strip.
The agency affirmed its readiness for an investigation into its employees, ensuring none were involved in the October attacks, and pledged to establish controls to prevent such risks in the future.
Following the October attacks by Hamas, resulting in approximately 1,160 casualties, Israel launched a military campaign against the Gaza Strip, with over 30,000 fatalities reported to date. Israel called for the dismantling of UNRWA in the aftermath of the attacks.
