EU, US Donors Cut off UN Funding Over Allegations of Terrorism and Aid to Hamas: UN Chief Urges Financial Resumption

UN donor countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, Australia and Finland, followed the lead of the United States on Saturday and announced that they were withdrawing additional funding to the UN over allegations that its staff were involved in the devastating 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.

On Friday, UNRWA leaders announced the dismissal of several staff members and ordered an "independent investigation" following information from Israel that UNRWA staff were involved in the terrorist attack.

Some 1,200 people were killed in an unprecedented terrorist attack in southern Israel, most of them civilians. Another 253 people, also mostly civilians, were kidnapped and taken to Gaza, where more than 130 remain.

UN Secretary-General Guterres promises that those involved in the massacre will be brought to justice and calls on donors to restore UNRWA funds frozen due to terrorism charges.

UNRWA has 13,000 staff in Gaza, almost all of whom are Palestinian.

The allegation also prompted the United States to suspend funding for the organisation.

"The United States is extremely concerned about allegations that twelve UNRWA staff members may have been involved in the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October. The State Department has temporarily suspended additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the UN is taking to address them," the US government said in an official statement. 

Israeli intelligence has provided the United States with verified and confirmed information incriminating 12 UNRWA staff members in the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October. The use of UN vehicles and facilities during the attack was revealed.

However, the head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees called on donor countries not to freeze funds after allegations that staff members took part in the 7 October massacre in southern Israel, calling the move "extremely irresponsible". 

In a statement, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan criticised UN chief Guterres for seeking funds for the organisation after the allegations were made, noting that he "proves once again that the lives and safety of Israeli citizens are not really important to him".

"After years of ignoring the evidence presented to him personally about UNRWA's support and involvement in incitement and terror, and before he launches a comprehensive investigation to find all the terrorists and Hamas murders at UNRWA, he is focused on attracting support for the organisation's murderous activities and terrorism," Erdan said.

"Every country that continues to fund UNRWA should know before launching a comprehensive investigation into the organisation that its money will be used for terror and that the aid provided by UNRWA may reach Hamas terrorists rather than the people of Gaza," he said. 

The ambassador called on all countries to freeze their funding to the UN and demand an investigation.