Italy Resumes Funding for UNRWA

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced that Italy will resume its financial contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). 

The announcement came during a meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh.

Tajani stated that the Italian government has arranged new funding totaling €35 million for Palestinian residents, with €5 million specifically allocated to UNRWA.

UNRWA, which coordinates nearly all aid to Gaza, has been in crisis since January when Israel accused around 12 of its 13,000 employees in Gaza of being involved in Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7.

These accusations led several donor countries, including the United States and Switzerland, to suspend their funding to the agency abruptly.

This suspension has jeopardized UNRWA's efforts to deliver much-needed aid to Gaza, where the United Nations has warned of an imminent famine.

An independent review group led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna investigated the accusations and found some "issues related to neutrality."

However, they stated that Israel has yet to provide substantial evidence for its main claims.