[라파=AP/뉴시스]On November 19 last year (local time), a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) truck loaded with fuel entered the Gaza Strip at the Rafah border checkpoint in Egypt. 2024.01.29.
[서울=뉴시스] Reporter Park Joon-ho = The European Commission (EC) issued a statement on the 29th (local time) asking whether it would continue to provide funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) following allegations that some UN staff were involved in Hamas’ attacks on Israel. NBC reported that he said he would review it.
“The Commission will review the matter in the light of the findings announced by the United Nations and the steps it will take,” the European Commission said in a statement, adding that it welcomed the UN relief agency’s offer to provide information and launch an investigation.
The European Commission also called for a thorough investigation and added that it would not provide any additional funding to UNRWA until the end of February.
Several European Union member states, including Finland and Austria, have already announced they will suspend funding to UNRWA, which has been accused of links to Hamas.
Additionally, the Guardian reported that the British government, a non-EU country, said it would not provide any further support to UNRWA while claims of links to Hamas were being investigated.
Earlier in the day, a spokesman for the British Prime Minister’s Office was asked about claims that 12 UNRWA staff, part-funded by Britain, were involved in Hamas’ massacre of Israelis on October 7 last year, and said, “The government does not believe that British aid funds went to Hamas.” “He said this.
However, the spokesman said the UK would not provide any further support to UNRWA while the alleged links to Hamas were investigated.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office said: “We have strict control, consent and caution over how the funds are used, as you would expect, but in light of these allegations we need to conduct further investigations with our allies and ensure we can continue to provide funding. “It is right to seek assurance,” he said.
A spokesman said the UK had transferred £16 million to UNRWA following the Hamas attack, but that the money had now been spent. He explained that no further funds would be allocated while cases involving Hamas were being investigated.
◎ Sympathetic media Newsis [email protected]