Israel urges more countries to cut financial support to UN agency

By Zehra Nur Duz

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz urged more countries on Saturday to stop funding the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) following allegations of involvement by employees in the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.

“UNRWA's ties with Hamas, providing refuge for terrorists, and perpetuating its rule are undeniable,” Katz wrote on X.

He urged authorities to remove the leadership of UNRWA and said it should be subjected to a comprehensive investigation regarding their awareness of the actions.

“In Gaza's rebuilding, UNRWA must be replaced with agencies dedicated to genuine peace and development,” he said.

The US, UK, Italy, Australia, Canada, Finland, and the Netherlands decided to suspend funding to UNRWA following claims by Israel on Friday.

UNRWA said it terminated contracts with several staffers for their alleged involvement in the attack.

Norway welcomed investigations of some staffers but said it would continue to support Palestinians via UNRWA.

Ireland also announced it would not suspend funding to the UN agency.

Despite a provisional ruling Friday by the ICJ that ordered Tel Aviv to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, Israel continued its onslaught against the coastal enclave where at least 26,257 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 64,797 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.