Germany joined a growing list of countries to pause funding to the United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees, the UNRWA, after Israel alleged that 12 staff members were involved in the October 7 attack by Hamas militants.
The move follows other countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia.
“Nine countries have, as of today, temporarily suspended their funding to UNRWA,” the organization’s head, Philippe Lazzarini, said in a statement.
“These decisions threaten our ongoing humanitarian work across the region including and especially in the Gaza Strip.”
Lazzarini said 2 million people in Gaza depend on aid from the UNRWA, and that this operation is now “collapsing.”
Germany’s Foreign Ministry said it would suspend funding “in agreement with other countries” until the UNRWA’s own internal investigation is complete.
“We expect Lazzarini to make it clear within UNRWA’s workforce that all forms of hatred and violence are totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” the ministry said on social media.
Germany, the United States and Israel are among several countries that classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
zc/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters, DPA)
