New Zealand suspends funding to UNRWA.

New Zealand is suspending funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) after its staff were accused of involvement in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Prime Minister Christopher Lacson said.

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Earlier, UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said that agency employees suspected of involvement in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel have been fired and will face trial if found guilty.

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However, Finland, Great Britain, Italy, Australia, Canada, Germany and a number of other countries have already announced the cessation of funding for the organization. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on countries not to allow the agency’s work to be interrupted.

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“Look, what I’m saying is that the allegations are incredibly serious and it’s important that they be properly looked into and investigated. We won’t make any contributions until the Foreign Secretary orders otherwise,” Lacson said.

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Earlier, twenty humanitarian organizations in a joint statement called on donor countries to resume support for the Palestine Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), some of whose employees are accused of involvement in the October 7, 2023, attacks by the Palestinian Hamas movement on Israel.