Published: Feb 07, 2024, 02:15 IST | Updated: Feb 07, 2024, 02:15 IST
The United States and several other countries have suspended aid to UNRWA, the main humanitarian agency in Gaza, since the 26th of January. The unprecedented funding crisis was precipitated by Israel's claim that 13 of UNRWA's 13,000 staff in Gaza were involved in the October 7th Hamas attacks on Israel which killed about 1200 people. Tel Aviv claims that as many as 190 UNRWA staff were militants. UNRWA, 150 of whose staff have been killed since October last year, shelters about a million Palestinians in its buildings, besides running several other essential services. If funding is not restored soon, the UN agency will have to end operations by the end of this month. As a course corrective measure, it promptly fired staff after being alerted to Israel's allegations. The UNRWA chief, Philippe Lazzarini, has dubbed the suspension "an additional collective punishment" for Palestinians. Mohammed Saleh brings you the details.