U.S., U.K. among 9 countries pausing funding to UNRWA amid allegations 12 employees were part of...

Eight countries have paused future funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East amid an investigation into allegations some workers participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The agency, known as the UNRWA, is entrusted with moving much-needed humanitarian aid into Gaza, which has been under intense bombardment by the Israel Defense Forces in its mission to annihilate Hamas militants after the October strike. The countries pausing funding include the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Canada, Finland and the Netherlands. The UNRWA said Friday that Israeli authorities provided information that several of its employees were involved in the attacks. The allegations were made against 12 employees. The UNRWA has said that it was terminating the contracts of the workers and that the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services would conduct an investigation into the allegation.