Sweden and Canada Resume Aid Payments to UNRWA After Allegations Investigation
Sweden and Canada have announced that they will resume aid payments to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) following allegations of staff involvement in the October 7th attack by Hamas. These two countries were among 16 nations that had paused their funds after Israel accused at least 12 UNRWA staff members of being connected to the attack. The UN is currently conducting an investigation into these allegations, with France’s foreign minister leading a review.
Sweden has stated that it will initially send 200 million kronor (£15m; $19m) to UNRWA, after the agency agreed to implement more stringent checks on its spending and staff. The Swedish government has allocated a total of 400 million kronor for UNRWA in 2024. Canada, on the other hand, announced on Friday that it would restart funding for UNRWA while investigations into the agency’s staff continue.
The attack on October 7th saw Hamas gunmen storm across Gaza’s border into Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the hostage-taking of over 250 individuals. In response, Israel launched a campaign of air strikes and a ground invasion of the territory. Since then, more than 30,900 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. The amount of aid reaching civilians has significantly decreased, leading the UN to warn that a quarter of Gaza’s population is on the brink of famine and children are dying from starvation.
UNRWA is the largest UN agency operating in Gaza, providing healthcare, education, and other humanitarian aid. It employs around 13,000 people in the region. Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s chief, expressed cautious optimism that donors would resume funding within weeks. He emphasized the urgent need for assistance, stating that the Palestinians in Gaza are facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.
Earlier this month, the European Commission announced that it would release 50 million euros in funding for UNRWA. Sweden is the fourth largest contributor to the agency’s budget, while Canada ranks as the 11th largest, according to data from 2022. Canada’s Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussen, explained that their decision to resume funding was based on the ongoing investigative process and the need to address the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians. Additionally, the Canadian Armed Forces will donate around 300 cargo parachutes to Jordan, which will be used to airdrop supplies into Gaza.
In a separate development, the EU, UK, US, and other countries have revealed plans to open a sea route to Gaza in order to deliver aid. This route could potentially begin operating this weekend. Meanwhile, an internal draft document compiled by UNRWA and seen by the BBC has exposed widespread abuse of Palestinians, including UNRWA employees who were released into Gaza from Israeli detention. The document includes testimonies from former detainees describing various forms of ill-treatment. It also mentions that agency staff members were subjected to threats and coercion by Israeli authorities while in detention, with pressure to make false statements against UNRWA.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have responded to these allegations, rejecting specific claims and stating that mistreatment of detainees is strictly prohibited and goes against IDF values and regulations.
As investigations into the allegations continue, the resumption of aid payments from Sweden and Canada provides a glimmer of hope for the Palestinians in Gaza who are suffering from a dire humanitarian crisis. The international community’s support is crucial in addressing the urgent needs of the population and preventing further loss of life.
