Cutting funding to UNRWA could violate states’ obligations under Genocide Convention, says U.N rapporteur for Palestinians
The U.N.’s special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories has condemned decisions taken by western states to suspending funding for UNRWA, arguing it constituted “collective punishment.”
Francesca Albanese said that the funding cuts, implemented by at least eight governments so far are “most likely violating their obligations under the Genocide Convention,” she said in a post on X.
“Defunding UNRWA at this critical time overtly defies ICJ’s order to allow effective humanitarian assistance,” she added in a separate post.
“This will entail legal responsibilities — or the demise of the international legal system,” she said.
Displaced Palestinians suffer hail and rain in Rafah
Palestinians displaced into makeshift tent cities around the border city of Rafah are facing extreme weather conditions including hail and flooding, damaging tents and causing illnesses for vulnerable people, residents told NBC News.
“Rain is falling on us like the sea, the roof is ripped, the blankets are full of water,” a mother of five who did not give her name told NBC News.
She said they had tried to shelter inside schools, but there was no space. Their tent was makeshift, and she did not have dry clothes for her daughter and worried about snow, should the temperature drop at night.
“Water came into the tent, so we took the children out and hung covers outside,” said Khad Abu Teim, who arrived in Rafah 50 days ago after being displaced from his home in Khan Younis. Earlier this week, he was forced to abandon his sodden, waterlogged tent and took his children to sleep in a local mosque instead, he said.
“The nylon is ripped, it’s melting. It can’t protect against this kind of rain, the snow and hailstone that fell,” he added. “My wife is suffering from influenza, she is asleep from yesterday. Water came inside the tent.”
France calls on UNRWA to take action, but does not suspend funding
France has not joined other Western countries such as the U.S., U.K, and Canada in suspending funding to UNRWA following allegations that several employees were involved in the Hamas attacks of October 7.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry said it had noted “with dismay of the information communicated today by UNRWA” and that it was calling on the organization to “take action to ensure that hate speech can no longer flourish within it without firm sanctions.”
UN Relief Chief: Now is not the time to let Gaza down
A senior United Nations humanitarian affairs official has said the world needs to be “at full stretch to give the people of Gaza hope,” in a statement appearing to criticize decisions by several countries, including the U.S., to cut funding to UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.
Martin Griffiths, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs said on X that the “humanitarian capacity to assist” the people of Gaza “has never been under such threat.”
“Now is not the time to let them down,” he added.
Cuts to funding have followed accusations from Israel that a dozen UNRWA staffers were involved in the Hamas attacks of October 7.
UNRWA may be forced to end lifesaving aid due to funding suspension, commissioner-general says
Lifesaving aid provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East may end due to the suspension of funding from multiple countries, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said.
The U.S., U.K., Canada, Italy and Finland are among the countries that have suspended funding to the UNRWA pending an investigation into allegations that members of staff participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.
“It is shocking to see a suspension of funds to the Agency in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, especially given the immediate action that UNRWA took by terminating their contracts and asking for a transparent independent investigation,” Lazzarini said. “The United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the highest investigative authority in the UN system, has already been seized of this very serious matter.”
The UNRWA is the primary humanitarian agency in Gaza and over 2 million people in the enclave depend on the agency for survival, according to Lazzarini.
“It would be immensely irresponsible to sanction an Agency and an entire community it serves because of allegations of criminal acts against some individuals, especially at a time of war, displacement and political crises in the region,” he said. “UNRWA shares the list of all its staff with host countries every year, including Israel. The…
Read More: UNRWA grapples with fallout as countries pull aid funding for Gaza