Washington:

The United States has decided to temporarily withhold approximately $300,000 from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as the United Nations (UN) investigates allegations that agency staff participated in the October 7 attack on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). funds. According to CNN, Hamas launched the attack.

State Department spokesman Matt Miller confirmed that funding that was scheduled to be provided in the coming weeks has been suspended while the investigation is ongoing.

Last week, the United States announced a temporary halt in funding following reports that UNRWA staff may have been linked to Hamas attacks. The overall impact of the funding suspension is likely to depend on the amount Congress authorizes for the current fiscal year.

Miller said the United States contributed approximately $121 million to UNRWA this fiscal year. He stressed the need for a thorough investigation into the allegations and acknowledged the vital role UNRWA plays in providing humanitarian support such as education, health care and food relief to the people of Gaza.

The United States and 34 other donor countries will meet with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday. The meeting was intended to inform on actions taken since the allegations against UNRWA staff came to light. Guterres is expected to highlight the organization’s important humanitarian work during the meeting.

The charges allege that 13 UNRWA employees were linked to varying degrees of involvement in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, based on information shared by Israeli officials. Israel claims the employees were involved in activities ranging from taking hostages to setting up operating theaters.

While CNN has not yet seen the intelligence behind the summary of the accusations, Israeli officials revealed that of the 13 UNRWA employees, 10 were accused of being members of Hamas, two were members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and one was identified as unknown. Israeli intelligence agencies said six UNRWA employees infiltrated into Israel as part of the attack, while others were involved in kidnappings and providing logistical support.

Concerns have been raised about the potential impacts of flood tunnels beneath densely populated areas, including damage to infrastructure and contamination of fresh water supplies. The United Nations has not formally received the intelligence shared by Israel, and UNRWA has fired several employees in response to the allegations. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said nine key staff members linked to the allegations have been fired, one of whom has died, and the identities of two other staff members are being clarified.

UNRWA, which is often criticized by Israel, denies accusations of inciting anti-Israel and diverting aid to Hamas. The agency condemned the October 7 Hamas attack as “abhorrent.” The fallout from these recent allegations has led several major donor countries, including the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, to suspend funding to UNRWA. However, some countries, including Norway, Ireland, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, continue to provide support.

U.N. officials have expressed concern that a suspension of payments by major donors could deplete UNRWA funds and jeopardize humanitarian relief for millions of people. The situation highlights the delicate balance between addressing alleged misconduct and ensuring the continuity of essential services provided by UNRWA, CNN reported.

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