In a joint statement released on Monday, some of the world's top humanitarian organizations including Oxfam, ActionAid and Save the Children called on donors to once again provide resources to the UN agency.
“The suspension of funding by donor countries will impact lifesaving assistance to more than two million civilians, more than half of whom are children, who rely on UNRWA assistance in Gaza,” they say. “The population faces starvation, imminent starvation and disease outbreaks due to the ongoing indiscriminate bombardment and deliberate deprivation in the Gaza Strip,” they warn.
“We are appalled by the reckless decision to cut off the lifeline of an entire population by some countries that have called for an increase in aid in Gaza and the protection of humanitarian workers in their work,” they complain. “This decision comes at a time when the International Court of Justice has ordered immediate and effective measures to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to the civilian population in Gaza,” they emphasize.
For her, the countries that have suspended funding “risk that Palestinians in the region will continue to be deprived of vital food, water, medical assistance and supplies, education and protection.”
The organizations also recall that since October 7, 152 UNRWA staff have been killed in bombings and 145 UNRWA facilities have been damaged. “If the funding suspensions are not reversed, we could see a complete collapse of already limited humanitarian assistance in Gaza,” they add.