The aid group that has been working to help the 2.3 million Palestinians facing what the UN has deemed a humanitarian crisis in Gaza says it may “be forced” to shut down operations by the end of February due to numerous countries pulling their support
A total of 16 countries, including Canada, have pulled funding from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the wake of allegations that 12 staff members may have played a role in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel that killed 1,200 and saw roughly 250 people taken hostage.
“If funding remains suspended, we will most likely be forced to shut down our operations by end of February not only in Gaza but also across the region,” UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement Thursday.
The organization, which has more than 3,000 staff members actively working in Gaza, says it has been the “backbone” of the humanitarian effort in Gaza during Israel’s brutal military campaign in the Gaza Strip. More than 26,000 people have been killed in Gaza over the past four months, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.
