THE HEAD OF the United Nations has implored countries to restore funding to the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees after several nations cut off donations over accusations against the agency’s employees.

The US, UK, Germany and Japan, among others, have called off funding to the UNRWA after several employees were accused of involvement in Hamas’ 7 October attacks on Israel.

The refugee agency is the only lifeline for thousands of people suffering in Gaza.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held talks with 35 donor countries, appealing for funds to be restored.

He briefed the ambassadors on actions he has taken since the accusations emerged from Israel, calling them “horrific”. An investigation has been launched.

After the meeting, Palestinian UN ambassador Riyad Mansour told reporters that Guterres asked countries that suspended funding to reconsider and called on other countries, “including those in the region, to step up to the plate.”

Mansour said 153 UNRWA staff have been killed in Gaza since 7 October, which is the largest number of UN personnel killed in an operation since World War Two.

He urged donors not to take actions “that constitute a collective punishment against millions of Palestinian refugees.”

Key UN bodies, including the World Health Organisation, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), have signed a joint statement warning of the “catastrophic consequences” that cutting of funding will bring for the people of Gaza.

“No other entity has the capacity to deliver the scale and breadth of assistance that 2.2 million people in Gaza urgently need. We appeal for these decisions to be reconsidered,” the bodies said. 

“Withdrawing funds from UNRWA is perilous and would result in the collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza, with far-reaching humanitarian and human rights consequences in the occupied Palestinian territory and across the region.

The world cannot abandon the people of Gaza.

The statement said that the allegations are “horrifying” and “any UN employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable”.

“However, we must not prevent an entire organization from delivering on its mandate to serve people in desperate need.”

Additional reporting by Press Association