UN urges donors to rethink Gaza funding halt

The United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, has appealed to the 10 donor countries that have withdrawn funding from the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to reconsider.

- Patrick Wintour

Guterres said nine UNRWA staff had already been dismissed for their alleged involvement in Hamas's attack on Israel on 7 October and any UN employee involved in acts of terror would be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution.

He said the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the highest investigative body in the UN system, had been asked to mount an inquiry.

Israel's foreign ministry has vowed that UNRWA will play no role in Gaza when the conflict ends. The organisation has 13,000 staff in Gaza and educates 30,000 children.

Israel formally handed information to the UNRWA commissioner general, Philippe Lazzarini, on 21 January alleging that as many 12 UNRWA staff had been involved in the 7 October attack.