The European Commission is still discussing whether to release EU funds to the UN aid agency in Gaza — despite a looming famine.
“The assessment is ongoing and we will make the relevant announcement as soon as we are in a position to do so,” chief European Commission spokesperson Eric Mamer told reporters on Thursday (29 February).
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is set to receive some €82m in EU money at the end of February.
But Israeli allegations that 12 UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attacks against Israel have alarmed donor countries leading to the temporary suspension of around €415m. Ten of the suspects were subsequently fired and another two killed by Israeli strikes.
No evidence
Earlier this week, the European Commission admitted it had received zero evidence into the allegations.
“We have not received any evidence supporting the allegations by Israel that UNWRA’s staff were involved in the terrible events on 7 October,” Janez Lenarčič, the EU commissioner for humanitarian aid, told MEPs.
“And to our knowledge, none of the donors — other donors — have received any evidence,” he added.
Despite the lack of evidence, the European Commission maintains UNRWA must fulfil three conditions.
This includes requiring the agency to launch an investigation into allegations, screen all its personal [13,000 in Gaza] for possible Hamas links, and agree to launch an audit by independent experts selected by the commission.
The UN Office for Internal Oversight Services has since launched an investigation. So too has an Independent Review Group, led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna.
This comes as more than 30,000 people in Gaza have been killed since 7 October, including 158 UNRWA staffers amid expanded Israeli military strikes in Rafah where half of Gaza’s population have taken refuge.
Israel says the assault is part of a campaign to overthrown Hamas and free Israeli hostages.
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But it has come with widespread condemnation, including an 26 January order by the International Court of Justice for Israel to “take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian aid.”
NGOs pressure EU to release funds
Meanwhile, more than 2,300 trucks have entered Gaza so far in February, a nearly 50 percent reduction compared to January 2024, says UNRWA.
And it said that none has gone to the north of Gaza since 23 January, increasing the risk of famine.
Over a dozen advocacy groups are also pleading for the European Commission to release the funds.
Among them are Amnesty International, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Medicins du Monde, Save the Children, Action Against Hunger, and Oxfam.
In a joint-statement, they say the lack of funding will impact life-saving assistance for over two million civilians, half of whom are children, who rely on UNRWA aid in Gaza.
“It is imperative that the EU and its member states reaffirm their support for UNRWA’s life-saving work. If they fail to do so, more people will suffer needlessly — both in Gaza and beyond,” said IRC’s Marta Welander, in a statement.
For its part, the commission says it has allocated more than €200m for humanitarian aid since 7 October, and are now in the process of rolling out €125m in humanitarian funding for this year, for Gaza and occupied Palestinian territories in general.