Australia announced on Friday that it would resume its funding of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), after having suspended it like around fifteen countries.
The organization has been at the center of controversy since, in late January, Israel accused 12 of its employees of involvement in the deadly October 7 attack perpetrated by the Palestinian movement Hamas.
“The nature of these allegations warranted an immediate and appropriate response
,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Friday, whose country funds UNRWA to the tune of some 3.7 million euros.
“The current view of Australian government agencies and lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist organization (...) Following review by the National Security Committee this week, Australia is resuming
(its)
contribution »
to the organization, announced the minister.
“I know that people are dying of hunger in Gaza”
and
“that UNRWA is essential to provide (an) aid to people who are on the brink
,” added Ms. Wong.
UNRWA assessment mission
Around 15 countries, including the United States, Britain, Germany and Japan, suspended funding at the end of January for a total of $450 million - the equivalent of more than half of the funds received in 2023. The UN has separated from the accused employees who are still alive and an internal investigation has been launched.
At the same time, its secretary general Antonio Guterres entrusted an independent group with a mission to evaluate UNRWA and its
“neutrality”
.
Before Australia, Canada and Sweden also announced the resumption of their funding of UNRWA, provoking the anger of the Israeli government.
The UN agency employs around 13,000 people in the Gaza Strip.
On October 7, the unprecedented attack carried out in Israel by Hamas commandos infiltrated from Gaza led to the death of at least 1,160 people, the majority civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli data. .
In retaliation, Israel vowed
to “annihilate”
Hamas and launched a vast military offensive in the Gaza Strip which has left more than 31,300 dead, the vast majority civilians, since October 7, according to the latest report dated October 7. Hamas Ministry of Health.
The UN fears widespread famine in the territory besieged by Israel, particularly in the north.