Britain, Italy, the Netherlands and Finland became the latest countries on Saturday to pause funding for the United Nations' agency for Palestinians in Gaza, following allegations that some of its staff were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
The United States, Australia and Canada had already paused funding to the aid agency, a critical source of support for people in Gaza, after the allegations by Israel. The agency said on Friday it had opened an investigation into several employees and severed ties with those people.
Encouraging more donor suspensions, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said UNRWA should be replaced once fighting in the enclave dies down and accused UNRWA of ties to Islamist militants in Gaza.
Reuters could not immediately contact UNRWA's communications head for comment. UNRWA has always rejected similar accusations in the past and maintained it is a relief and humanitarian agency.
UNRWA was set up to help refugees of the 1948 war at Israel's founding and provides education, health and aid services to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. It helps about two thirds of Gaza's 2.3 million population and has played a pivotal aid role during the war that Israel launched to eliminate Hamas after the Oct. 7 attacks.
