Sweden: The governments of Sweden and Canada have announced that they will resume aid payments to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees.
There were 16 countries, including Sweden and Canada, that suspended funding after Israel accused at least 12 UNRWA officials of involvement in an October 7 attack by Hamas. The United Nations (UN) is scrutinising and France’s foreign minister is directing the review.
According to Sweden, the government allotted 400 million kronor to UNRWA for the year 2024. Initially, it would transmit 200 million kronor (£15 million; $19 million), after UNRWA approved more checks on its spending and team.
This follows Canada’s announcement that it will resume funding UNRWA while an investigation into the agency’s staff continues. Hamas gunmen crossed the Gaza border into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. A Hamas gun attack on Israel has killed nearly 1,200 people and taken more than 250 hostages. In response, Israel launched airstrikes and land invasions.
The territory’s Hamas-controlled health ministry reported that, since those attacks more than 30900 people have been killed in Gaza and aid to the civilians decreased. There was a warning from the United Nations that a quarter of the Strip’s population was in danger of starvation, and children were dying of hunger.
UNRWA is the largest UN agency working in Gaza and providing healthcare, education and other humanitarian services. It also employs more than 13,000 people there. The earliest statement this month from the European Commission, it would release 50 million euros in UNRWA funding. As per the data, Canada is the agency’s 11th-largest contributor, and Sweden is the fourth-largest.
Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of International Development, declared the country’s decision. Hussen said that, “It was made so that more can be done to respond to the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians, and in recognition of the robust investigative process underway.”
A total of 300 cargo parachutes will also be donated to Jordan for airdrops into Gaza by the Canadian Armed Forces. Earlier this week, the EU, UK, US, and others announced that they would open a sea route to Gaza to deliver aid.
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