UNRWA donors likely to resume funding soon, Norway says

Many countries that paused funding to the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency are likely having second thoughts and payments could resume soon, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said on Wednesday. Several countries, including the United States and Britain, paused their funding to UNRWA after accusations by Israel that a dozen members of its 13,000 staff in Gaza took part in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Norway, a top donor to UNRWA, has maintained its funding and transferred 275 million crowns ($26 million) in February, its regular annual contribution, and said more could come. It is also lobbying countries that have paused funding to resume. Juliette Touma, UNRWA director of communications, said none of the 16 donors which had frozen their funding had resumed yet, and urged them to reconsider their decisions. The head of the UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, warned on Monday of "a deliberate and concerted campaign aimed at ending its operations as Israel accused the organization of employing over 450 "military operatives" from Hamas and other armed groups.  (Reuters) 