Germany to restart cooperation with UNRWA after suspension over alleged terror ties – POLITICO

Germany and 15 other UN member countries suspended funding worth $450 million after Israel accused 12 UNRWA employees of taking part in the October 7 terrorist attack, according to the report. Of those involved, 10 had their contracts terminated by UNRWA while two were confirmed dead, according to the UN.

The funding cuts came as the humanitarian situation in Gaza became increasingly dire. The Israeli military operation there has killed more than 34,000 people and left the territory on the brink of famine.

After the report was released Monday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said, without providing evidence, that Hamas’s penetration of the U.N. agency is so deep that “it is impossible to say where UNRWA ends up and where Hamas begins.

UNRWA – which was established in 1949 and operates in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria – has played a crucial role in helping vulnerable Palestinian refugees access vital services such as primary and vocational education, primary health care, relief and social services.