UN Palestinian aid agency warns cuts may force shutdown of its operations in region

The UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees said on Thursday that international funding cuts may force the shutdown of its operations across the region "by the end of February."

Several major donor countries to UNRWA said they would suspend funding after Israel alleged 12 agency employees took part in Hamas's Oct.7 attack.

"The agency remains the largest aid organisation in one of the most severe and complex humanitarian crises in the world," UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement.

"If the funding remains suspended, we will most likely be forced to shut down our operations by end of February not only in Gaza but also across the region."

A Palestinian youth leans on bags of flour distributed by the UNRWA in Rafah. Reuters 

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said after talks with Lazzarini that he "emphasised the immediate need for the international community to support UNRWA, which plays an indispensable role for Palestinian refugees, serving as a lifeline for over two million Palestinians facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza."

A foreign ministry statement in Amman said that both Safadi and Lazzarini urged countries that have suspended aid to UNRWA to "reconsider their decision."

"Any reduction in financial support provided to the agency will exacerbate the suffering of the people of Gaza, who are already on the brink of mass starvation," the statement said.

Aid groups and other UN agencies have urged donors to keep supporting UNRWA, with the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) warning on Wednesday that defunding would have "catastrophic consequences" for the people of Gaza.

Agencies