In response to allegations made by Israeli authorities that some employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) were involved in a recent attack by Hamas, several countries have decided to suspend funding to the agency. The United States, Britain, Germany, Australia, and other nations have temporarily halted financial support to UNRWA, pending an investigation into the claims.

The suspension of funding puts over 2 million people in Gaza, who rely on the agency for their basic survival, at risk, according to UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini. He appealed to the countries to reconsider their decisions before UNRWA is forced to suspend its humanitarian response.

Details about the allegations against the UNRWA employees have not been publicly provided by Israeli officials. The U.S. State Department has reached out to Israel to seek more information regarding the accusations. UNRWA declined to comment further on the matter. Mark Regev, a senior adviser to Israel's prime minister, claimed that an Israeli hostage, who had been released, stated that she was held captive in the house of someone working for UNRWA. However, these claims have not been independently verified.

The situation has highlighted a long-standing dispute between Israeli authorities and UNRWA. Israel has accused the agency of having a broad definition of who qualifies as a Palestinian refugee and of turning a blind eye to incitement to violence within Gaza.

Established in 1949, the UNRWA was created to provide direct relief for Palestinian refugees following the Arab-Israeli War of 1948. It offers education, healthcare, social services, and other humanitarian aid to registered Palestinian refugees, as well as running schools for over half a million students. The agency serves people in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, and Lebanon.

UNRWA's funding primarily comes from voluntary contributions from member states of the United Nations, with a smaller portion coming from the UN's regular budget. The agency's largest donors in 2022 were the United States, Germany, the European Union, Sweden, Norway, and Japan.

This is not the first time that UNRWA has faced funding challenges. In 2018, former U.S. President Donald Trump suspended support for the agency, citing financial sustainability concerns. However, in 2021, President Joe Biden reinstated $150 million in U.S. funding to UNRWA.

As of now, at least nine countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, and Finland, have announced temporary suspensions of funding to UNRWA due to the allegations made against the agency's employees.

The outcome of the investigation into the allegations and its impact on UNRWA's operations and the millions of Palestinians relying on its vital services remains uncertain. The international community will be closely watching as the situation unfolds and decisions regarding funding are reconsidered.