GENEVA, Monday, January 29, 2024 (WAFA) - The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) warned today that it would not be able to continue operations in Gaza and across the region beyond the end of February if funding were not resumed, reported Reuters news agency.

Following the announcement of several countries to temporarily halt funding to the UN agency, UNRWA, in a statement on Monday, said: “Nine countries have as of today temporarily suspended their funding to UNRWA. These decisions threaten our ongoing humanitarian work across the region, including and especially in the Gaza Strip.” 

UNRWA is the primary humanitarian agency in Gaza, with over 2 million people depending on it for their sheer survival.

Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General said he was “shocked to see a suspension of funds to the Agency in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, especially given the immediate action that UNRWA took by terminating their contracts and asking for a transparent independent investigation.”

The United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the highest investigative authority in the UN system, has already been seized of this very serious matter., affirmed the UNRWA Commissioner-General.

T.R.