Spain provides an additional 3.5M Euros as emergency assistance to UNRWA

MADRID: Spain announced today an emergency aid of 3.5 million Euros to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), whose role and ability to provide humanitarian work is being threatened across the region, including and especially in the Gaza Strip, following the announcement of several major counties of their decision to suspend funding for the UN agency based on Israeli allegations against at least 12 of its employees. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said Spain will provide an additional emergency aid of 3.5 million Euros to enable UNRWA in the short term to continue the provision of quality humanitarian relief assistance. "UNRWA's situation is desperate and there is a serious risk that its humanitarian activities will be paralyzed in Gaza within a few weeks," Albares told lawmakers in Madrid. On February 2, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, warned that UNRWA is on the brink of financial collapse, calling on donor countries to assum e their responsibilities and support UNRWA to fulfill its mandate towards Palestine refugees. He further stressed that UNRWA is the 'backbone' of all humanitarian response in Gaza. "The suspended funds amount to more than USD 440 million, almost half of the agency's expected income in 2024, putting its very existence at risk," warned the EU's Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, on Sunday. Source: Palestine news and Information Agency – WAFA