Guterres said the United Nations was working hard to sustain funding for its agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which he called the backbone for humanitarian aid inside Gaza.
Several countries, including the United States and Britain, paused their funding to UNRWA after accusations by Israel that a dozen of the agency’s 13,000 staff in Gaza took part in the Oct 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini said he regretted Washington’s decision to continue a ban on US funding for the agency until at least March 2025.
“We very much regret Washington’s decision,” Lazzarini was quoted as saying by Swiss newspaper Blick on Sunday. “It’s a halt for a limited period. Next year, we again have the possibility to apply pressure for a new decision.”
Source: CNA
