Canada, Sweden resume UNRWA funding after pause over terror allegations against staff

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Amid the Israel warfare in Gaza, Canada has introduced to resume funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after a number of nations minimize their support as Israel accused dozens of the company’s workers in Gaza of participating in a Hamas assault on October 7, Al Jazeera

 Amid the Israel warfare in Gaza, Canada has introduced to resume funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after a number of nations minimize their support as Israel accused dozens of the company’s workers in Gaza of participating in a Hamas assault on October 7, Al Jazeera reported.

In a press release on Friday, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen mentioned the federal government is “resuming its funding to UNRWA so more can be done to respond to the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians.”

According to the report, the choice got here after fierce criticism for reducing help throughout Israel’s warfare in Gaza.

UNRWA instantly sacked the staff in query and introduced that it was opening a probe into the allegations, which it described as “shocking” and “serious”. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres additionally appointed an unbiased panel to research.

Israel, nonetheless, didn’t present concrete proof to again up its allegations. Canadian broadcaster CBC News additionally reported in early February that Canada had not seen any intelligence backing the declare earlier than it determined to chop the funding.

The resolution to chop funding for UNRWA, which depends on authorities contributions to fund its operations within the occupied Palestinian territories, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, drew fast concern and calls from rights advocates to rethink.

Additionally, Sweden mentioned Saturday it could resume support to the cash-strapped UN company for Palestinians with an preliminary disbursement of USD 20 million after receiving assurances of additional checks on its spending and personnel, The Times of Israel reported.

“The government has allocated 400 million kronor to UNRWA for the year 2024. Today’s decision concerns a first payment of 200 million kronor,” the Swedish authorities mentioned in a press release.

It mentioned that to unblock the help, UNRWA had agreed to “allow controls, independent audits, to strengthen internal supervision and extra controls of personnel.”

UNRWA is the important thing company offering crucial humanitarian provides to Palestinians within the Gaza Strip, the place Israel’s continued bombardment and siege have killed greater than 30,000 folks and led to widespread starvation and illness.

Humanitarian teams had warned that reducing UNRWA funding would have dire repercussions for Palestinians in Gaza and urged donor nations to reverse their selections.

Since then, the scenario within the Strip has deteriorated additional, as Israeli army assaults proceed. About a dozen Palestinian youngsters have died in current weeks on account of a scarcity of meals and water in Gaza, in line with well being authorities within the coastal enclave.

 (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is printed from ANI) 

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