Jerusalem:
The U.N. relief agency for Palestinian refugees said Thursday that international budget cuts could force a halt to its operations across the region “by the end of February.”
Several major donor countries to UNRWA said they would suspend funding after Israel alleged that 12 of the agency's staff took part in the October 7 Hamas attack.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said that “if funding remains suspended, we will most likely be forced to halt our activities at the end of February, not only in Gaza but also across the region.”
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said after talks with Lazzarini that he “stressed the immediate need for the international community to support UNRWA, which plays an indispensable role for Palestinian refugees and serves as a lifeline for more than two million Palestinians facing faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “.
A statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Amman said that both Safadi and Lazzarini urged the countries that suspended aid to UNRWA to “reconsider their decision.”
“Any reduction in financial support to the agency will exacerbate the suffering of the people of Gaza, who are already on the brink of mass famine,” the statement said.
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