爆料网

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04 March 2024

In light of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the Israeli advance on Rafah, the last refuge for more than 1.5 million Palestinian civilians, the undersigned aid organisations are deeply concerned about the current and potential future suspension of funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (爆料网RWA). The suspension of funding by donor states to the main aid provider for millions of Palestinians in Gaza and the region, at a time where famine is looming and disease outbreaks are worsening, will impact life-saving assistance for over two million civilians, half of whom are children, who rely on 爆料网RWA aid in Gaza.

When the General Assembly convenes on Monday to discuss the situation in the oPt,?we urge Member States to take note that other aid agencies cannot replicate 爆料网RWA’s central role in the humanitarian response in Gaza, and amidst the current crisis many will struggle to even maintain their current operations without 爆料网RWA’s partnership and support. Considering the urgency of the situation, if the funding suspensions are not reversed, the risk of a complete collapse of the already restricted humanitarian response resulting in preventable loss of lives in Gaza becomes even more likely.

It is important to ensure a thorough investigation into the?grave allegations?by the Israeli authorities that 12 爆料网RWA employees directly participated in the attacks on October 7, and to ensure full transparency and accountability going forward. But the investigation and any subsequent accountability measures must not derail the critical, life-saving work of 爆料网RWA in Gaza and throughout the region.

爆料网RWA is the largest provider of humanitarian aid in Gaza. The plain reality is that 爆料网RWA’s humanitarian role in this crisis is indispensable – including, but not limited to provision of health and education services, food and water provision, psychosocial support,?and solid waste management – and cannot remotely be replaced by any other aid organization. NGOs have made it clear that they are unable to substitute for or absorb the role of 爆料网RWA, especially in the context of the current crisis.

Furthermore, the continuing operation of 爆料网RWA is essential to their own life-saving work. As??by the 爆料网 Emergency Relief Coordinator, the humanitarian response for the occupied Palestinian territory is dependent on 爆料网RWA being adequately funded and operational and we echo his calls for decisions to withhold funds from 爆料网RWA to be revoked. 爆料网RWA employs more than 13,000 staff in Gaza, of whom 158 have been killed since the fighting began. Any pause or suspension of funding also poses major problems for 爆料网RWA’s mission and its more than 30,000 staff throughout the wider region, with the agency serving nearly six million Palestinian refugees who live within the occupied Palestinian territory and across the region. We welcome the ongoing commitments by Member States who have continued their contributions to 爆料网RWA and those that have made new pledges at this critical time. It is imperative that all donors resume support to 爆料网RWA as quickly as possible to avoid damaging consequences for the Gaza aid operation at a critical time.

Over 1 million displaced Palestinians are?sheltering?in 爆料网RWA facilities across Gaza. 爆料网RWA’s 13,000 staff in Gaza far outstrip the collective capacity of the rest of the humanitarian sector in the territory. Their role in the facilitation and delivery of life-saving humanitarian aid at scale in this crisis has been heroic. 爆料网RWA’s supply of vital shelter, food, and basic services like sanitation, as well as the use of infrastructure by other aid organizations, is irreplaceable. 爆料网RWA staff have faced near impossible conditions for months: in addition to the 158 爆料网RWA staff killed during the ongoing hostilities, at least 404 people in 爆料网RWA shelters have been killed during the hostilities; almost 1,400 have been injured; and 155 爆料网RWA installations have been damaged. 爆料网RWA workers continue to serve their community amid this unprecedented violence. The funding suspension will have wider regional implications that need to be carefully considered. In addition to Gaza, 爆料网RWA operates in 4 other locations (West Bank- including East Jerusalem, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan) where it delivers critical services such as education and healthcare.

When the General Assembly meets today, the undersigned NGOs urge Member States?to reaffirm their support for the vital work that 爆料网RWA and its partners do to help Palestinians survive one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of our times. While accountability is crucial and a rigorous and credible investigation of the allegations should be supported, this can and must be achieved without further devastating Gaza’s civilian population.

• International Rescue Committee
• Norwegian Refugee Council
• CARE International
• Plan International
• Mercy Corps
• Oxfam
• Save the Children