Israel says some of the UN agency’s staff members were involved in Hamas’s October 7 attacks.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees – UNRWA – offers a lifeline for nearly 6 million people.
Established in 1949, its mission is to provide relief to Palestinians forced from their homes when the state of Israel was created and for their still displaced descendants.
Now, the agency’s future – and that of those who depend on it to survive – is under threat.
Several Western nations have suspended their funding to UNRWA in the wake of Israeli accusations that some of its staff members were involved in the attacks by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7.
The agency has dismissed some employees and opened an investigation
What impact will the aid suspension have on the Palestinian people – both in Gaza and beyond?
Presenter: Nastasya Tay
Guests:
Samir Zaqout – Palestinian rights and social activist who lives in Gaza and has been displaced by Israel’s war
Ardi Imseis – professor of international law at Queen’s University and former legal counsel to UNRWA
Raymond Johansen – secretary-general of Norwegian People’s Aid and former Norwegian state secretary for foreign affairs