UNRWA: We May Have to Halt Operations by the End of February

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) indicated today, Thursday, that it "will likely have to halt its operations in the Middle East, including Gaza, by the end of February unless funding is resumed." UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stated in a statement that "the agency remains the largest aid organization in one of the most severe and complex humanitarian crises in the world." He added, "If the funding suspension continues, we will likely have to cease our operations by the end of February, not only in Gaza but also throughout the region." A number of countries, including the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, have suspended their funding following allegations that some UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 attacks carried out by the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).