Jordanian King, UN chief discuss supporting UN relief agency in Palestine

By Laith Al-Jnaidi

AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - Jordanian King Abdullah II and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have discussed maintaining support for the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) in the wake of the agency's funding crisis, which was sparked by allegations that some of its employees in Gaza took part in the Oct. 7 cross-border attack on Israel.

During a phone call with Guterres on Monday, King Abdullah II emphasized the importance of maintaining "support for UNRWA to continue providing its vital humanitarian services in accordance with its UN mandate," according to a statement released by the Jordanian royal court.

The Jordanian king also reaffirmed the need for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza to allow Palestinians to return home.

Tel Aviv has alleged that some of the agency’s employees were involved in the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel.

At least 12 countries – Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Finland, Australia, UK, Netherlands, US, France, Austria, and Japan – have suspended funding for UNRWA, which was established in 1949 to help Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.

UNRWA said it terminated contracts with several employees following the Israeli allegations.

Israel launched a deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 26,637 Palestinians and injuring 65,387. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

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 has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara