Finland has announced its decision to restart donations to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) following the suspension of funding by several Western countries. The fate of the 5.9 million refugees served by UNRWA had raised concerns amidst the funding halt.
The announcement to resume funding was made by Finland’s Foreign Trade and Development Minister at a news conference, citing improvements and strengthening of internal operations within the UN agency.
Allegations have been exchanged between Israel and UNRWA, with Israel accusing agency staffers of involvement in attacks and UNRWA accusing Israel of detaining and torturing its employees. The veracity of these claims remains unverified as an independent review group is set to release its findings on April 20.
The suspension of funding by Western countries, including the US, has dealt a blow to humanitarian efforts in Gaza. The region is facing a severe humanitarian crisis exacerbated by Israel's military offensive, which has severely impacted the medical system, triggered mass displacement, and left over 2.2 million Palestinians at risk of famine, as per a UN-backed report.
