BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥� The European Union said Friday that it will pay 50 million euros ($54 million) to the main provider of aid in Gaza next week after the cash-strapped U.N. agency agreed to allow EU-appointed experts to audit the way it screens staff to identify extremists.
The UNRWA agency is reeling from allegations that participated in the . The agency fired the employees, but more than a dozen countries suspended funding worth about $450 million, almost half its budget for 2024.
The has driven 80% of Gaza鈥檚 population of 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes, and U.N. officials say a quarter of the population is starving. The agency is the main supplier of food, water and shelter, but it is also on the brink of financial collapse.
The European Commission had been due to disburse 82 million euros ($89 million) to UNRWA on Feb. 29, but wanted the agency to accept its terms for an audit. The EU's powerful executive branch is the third biggest donor to UNRWA after and Germany.
The commission said the agency has now 鈥渋ndicated that it stands ready to ensure that a review of its staff is carried out to confirm they did not participate in the attacks and that further controls are put in place to mitigate such risks in the future.鈥�
The commission said the funds will be dispatched next week once UNRWA has confirmed in writing that it accepts the EU's conditions. Two further tranches worth 16 million euros ($17.3 million) each will be given to UNRWA as it complies with their agreement.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, UNRWA Commissioner-General welcomed the EU鈥檚 announcement and said that the commitment to provide money next week 鈥渃omes at a critical time.鈥�
鈥淭he full disbursement of the EU contribution is key to the agency鈥檚 ability to maintain its operations in a very volatile area,鈥� he tweeted.
Israel has long accused UNRWA of tolerating or even collaborating with Hamas activities in or around U.N. facilities, but no one 鈥� in Israel or abroad 鈥� has offered an alternative for delivering aid to Gaza鈥檚 besieged population.
UNRWA took the unusual step of immediately firing its staffers based on Israel鈥檚 allegations against them, but with no hard evidence being provided. Each year, UNRWA gives a list of its staff to the Israeli authorities for vetting, and the agency said it has received no complaints.
Two U.N. investigations into Israel鈥檚 allegations against the agency are already underway.
Even as the commission was negotiating the terms of its audit, Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenar膷i膷 told EU lawmakers this week that 鈥渨e have not received any evidence supporting the allegations by Israel that UNWRA鈥檚 staff were involved in the terrible events on 7 October.鈥�
鈥淭o our knowledge, none of the donors 鈥� other donors 鈥� have received any evidence,鈥� he added.
Belgian Development Minister Caroline Gennez, whose country currently holds the EU's rotating presidency, tweeted on Friday that UNRWA 鈥渋s the only organization that can structurally get humanitarian aid to Palestinians. Defunding would mean a death sentence for tens of thousands.鈥�
The funding dispute comes a day after witnesses said that Israeli troops had fired on racing to pull food off an aid convoy in Gaza City. More than 100 people were killed in the chaos. The death toll since October stands at more than 30,000, according to health officials.
The Hamas attack into Israel that ignited the war killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the militants seized around 250 hostages. Hamas and other militants are still holding and the remains of about 30 more, after releasing most other captives during a November cease-fire.
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Lorne Cook, The Associated Press
