The suspension of UK funding for the UN relief agency working in Gaza has been overturned by the government. In January of this year, the Foreign Office paused any future funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) after allegations surfaced that some members of staff had been involved in the October 7th attacks by Hamas in Israel last year.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy confirmed the government was "overturning the suspension", and said £21m in new support would be provided to the organisation. This funding will go towards UNRWA’s flash appeal for Gaza and the West Bank, which focuses its resources on emergency food, shelter and other support for 3 million people, as well as its wider work supporting 6 million Palestinian refugees across the region.
The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said to Parliament:
"Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe and it is aid agencies who ensure UK support reaches civilians on the ground.
UNRWA is absolutely central to these efforts. No other agency can get aid into Gaza at the scale needed.
I was appalled by the allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7th October attacks. We are reassured that after Catherine Colonna’s independent review, UNRWA is ensuring they meet the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures, including on vetting.
UNRWA has acted. Partners like Japan, the EU and Norway have now acted. This government will act too."