Human Rights Watch Advocates Continued Funding for UNRWA Amid Allegations and Humanitarian Crisis
Watan-The human rights organization “Human Rights Watch” stated that governments should continue funding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) due to its crucial role in preventing a humanitarian catastrophe and the risk of famine in the Gaza Strip. This comes as the agency investigates allegations of 12 of its employees being involved in the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operations and the attack that disrupted Israel on October 7th last year.
UNRWA, the largest relief organization in Gaza, warned that if funding is not resumed, it “will not be able to continue” its operations in Gaza, the West Bank, or the other three countries in the region where it operates after the end of this February.
Israeli Plan to Cease UNRWA Aid in Gaza
Regarding the Israeli plan to halt UNRWA aid in Gaza, after Israeli authorities provided information about the alleged involvement of some of its employees in the October 7th attack, UNRWA announced that it had “decided to dismiss” the identified employees and initiated an investigation “without delay to reveal the truth.”
The UN Secretary-General later confirmed the independence of the investigation conducted by the United Nations into these allegations, activating the “United Nations Office of Internal Oversight Services” immediately.
Akshaya Kumar, Advocacy Director for Crisis Response at Human Rights Watch, stated, “The allegations against UNRWA staff are serious, and it seems that the United Nations is dealing with them seriously. However, withholding funds from the agency that is most capable of providing immediate food, water, and essential medicine to over 2.3 million people in Gaza shows a callous disregard for what top experts worldwide have warned of – the looming threat of famine.”
Kumar continued, “Palestinian civilians in Gaza, including children, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women, rely heavily on UNRWA’s services, and they have no connection to the allegations against individual employees.”
As of January 31, 2024, 18 governments, contributing historically over three-quarters of the agency’s budget, have frozen their contributions in response to these allegations.
More than a million displaced Palestinians in Gaza rely on UNRWA for essential humanitarian assistance amid the current conflict. Governments responding to Israeli claims have halted their support.
Governments Respond to Occupation’s Claims and Have Halted Support
Australia, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Britain, Austria, New Zealand, the Netherlands, the United States, and Japan announced they would indefinitely suspend their payments to UNRWA in response to allegations involving dozens of agency employees in the October 7th attacks.
On the other hand, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Norway released statements affirming their continued financial support for UNRWA while emphasizing the importance of investigating these allegations.
Instead of withholding essential funds, the European Union and France issued statements indicating their intention to “review the matter in light of the results of the investigation announced by the United Nations and the actions it will take” and “report when the time comes.” Human Rights Watch notes that government contributions to UNRWA are voluntary and at the discretion of the governments.
It’s worth noting that shortly after the October 7th attack carried out by the Al-Qassam Brigades – the military wing of Hamas – Israeli authorities cut off essential services, including water and electricity, to Gaza residents and blocked the entry of all types of fuel and essential humanitarian aid, except for a few.
“Hunger as a weapon of war in Gaza” is considered collective punishment, rising to the level of war crimes. Human Rights Watch found that Israel uses starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza by deliberately hindering the delivery of water, food, and fuel, obstructing humanitarian aid intentionally, destroying agricultural areas, and depriving civilian populations of essential necessities for survival.
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza schools and hospitals continued, turning large parts of neighborhoods into rubble, resulting in the destruction or damage of 60% of residential units in Gaza. Some of these strikes were presumed unlawful attacks.
Human Rights Watch urged Israel’s main allies, including the United States, Britain, Canada, and Germany, to suspend military aid and arms sales to Israel as long as its forces commit serious and widespread violations amounting to war crimes against Palestinian civilians.
The organization stated that unlike their rush to suspend UNRWA funding even during the ongoing investigation – despite drawing attention to serious allegations of potential war crimes – the United States, Britain, Canada, and Germany continue to provide weapons and military aid to the occupying state amid escalating evidence of grave violations.
Relief groups highlighted the essential need for UNRWA operations in Gaza and their value. In a joint statement, 21 humanitarian organizations expressed shock at the “reckless decision to sever the lifeline of an entire people by some of the same countries that called for increased aid in Gaza and the protection of humanitarian workers while doing so.”
The Director-General of both the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders echoed calls to donor parties not to suspend UNRWA funding.
All residents of Gaza are at risk of a severe food security crisis, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification initiative, which regularly provides information on the magnitude and severity of food insecurity and malnutrition worldwide. The initiative’s report in late December concluded that almost all Gaza Palestinians do not consume all daily meals, and many adults go hungry so that children can eat. The population faces famine if current conditions persist.
The United Nations General Assembly established UNRWA in 1949 to serve Palestinian refugees. UNRWA has 30,000 employees and provides direct humanitarian aid, human development, and protection programs for over 5.9 million registered Palestinian refugees living in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
More than half of UNRWA’s regular budget is allocated to education. The agency also shelters over a million displaced Palestinians in 150 facilities within Gaza, including its schools.
At least 357 people have been killed, and 1,255 others were injured while seeking refuge inside UNRWA buildings since October 7th.
It is worth mentioning that shortly after the October 7th attack, carried out by the Al-Qassam Brigades against Israel, Israeli authorities cut off essential services, including water and electricity, to Gaza residents and blocked the entry of all types of fuel and essential humanitarian aid, except for a few.
“The intentional deprivation of water, food, and fuel, deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid, destruction of agricultural areas, and denial of essential materials for the survival of civilians” are considered collective punishment and rise to the level of war crimes. Human Rights Watch found that Israel uses starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes on Gaza schools and hospitals continued, turning large parts of neighborhoods into rubble, resulting in the destruction or damage of 60% of residential units in Gaza. Some of these strikes were presumed unlawful attacks.
Hunger as a Weapon of War in Gaza
Human Rights Watch urged Israel’s main allies, including the United States, Britain, Canada, and Germany, to suspend military aid and arms sales to Israel as long as its forces commit serious and widespread violations amounting to war crimes against Palestinian civilians.
The organization stated that unlike their rush to suspend UNRWA funding even during the ongoing investigation – despite drawing attention to serious allegations of potential war crimes – the United States, Britain, Canada, and Germany continue to provide weapons and military aid to the occupying state amid escalating evidence of grave violations.
Relief groups highlighted the essential need for UNRWA operations in Gaza and their value. In a joint statement, 21 humanitarian organizations expressed shock at the “reckless decision to sever the lifeline of an entire people by some of the same
