After Hamas terror

US funds for UNRWA blocked until March 2025

An UNRWA tanker truck with fuel for the Gaza Strip

(Bild: APA/AFP/Khaled DESOUKI)

As reported, the Palestinian aid organization UNRWA, which has come under criticism since the major attack by the terrorist organization Hamas, is on the verge of collapse. It has now become known that the US government has cut off funding for the aid organization until March 2025.

This is according to media reports quoting two people familiar with the matter. Israel accuses UNRWA of some of its employees being involved in the attack on October 7 or supporting the radical Islamic group Hamas. As a result, several states have stopped funding UNRWA. However, some of them are transferring funds again.

US funds now flow to other UN institutions
Until now, the US government had paid between 300 million and 400 million dollars a year to UNRWA. According to earlier statements by a US government spokesperson, the US government wants to transfer these funds to other UN organizations such as the children's aid organization UNICEF, which could use them to finance aid in the Gaza Strip.

Threat of famine
Because this is also desperately needed. The United Nations has been warning for weeks that famine is imminent in Gaza. The official classification as a famine means that at least 20 percent of the population is affected by an extreme lack of food. Aid organizations report enormous difficulties in gaining access to the sealed-off area, especially to the north. Several countries have started to bring aid to Gaza by sea and air. The German air force has also dropped relief supplies. According to the UN, however, this is not a sufficient alternative to aid deliveries by truck.