UK has paused funding to a United Nation relief agency in Gaza due to allegation some staff were involved in Hamas’ attack on Israel. 

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said yesterday it fired “several” employees due to accusations by Israel that 12 employees were involved in the attack on October 7th. 

Senior Israeli officials have said in media the IDF provided information which implicated several current UNRWA staff. 

The UK Foreign Office said it is “temporarily pausing any future funding of UNRWA whilst we review these concerning allegations". 

"We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it,” it said. 

Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has confirmed Ireland has "no plans to suspend funding for UNRWA’s vital Gaza work".

"UNRWA’s 13,000 employees provide life saving assistance to 2.3 million people and at incredible personal cost," he said.

The US, Canada, Italy and Australia have also suspended funding to the UN aid agency. 

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said the decision to sack the staffers was taken "to protect the agency's ability to deliver humanitarian assistance". 

"Any UNRWA employee who was involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution," he said. 

Aid to Gaza

The UNRWA was formed in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war and is one of the main suppliers of humanitarian aid to Gaza. 

Director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding said civilians will suffer under reduced funding. 

“The US thinks in this situation it should penalise people who are literally starving to death,” he said. “It’s beggar’s belief. 

“On the basis of allegations, not proven claims.” 

Former Middle East adviser to the Pentagon in the US Jasmine El-Gamal said people in Gaza rely on the UNRWA for “pretty much everything”. 

“To cut off funding at this incredibly critical time when there’s such a humanitarian crisis in Gaza because of alleged action of a tiny portion of the honourable staff, it’s fairly troubling in my opinion,” she said. 

Israeli authorities including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have previously accused the UNRWA of fuelling anti-Israeli sentiment, which it denies.