Why are western countries cutting funding to Gaza’s biggest aid agency?

Last week, Israeli authorities alleged that some employees of UNRWA, the Relief Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, were involved in the October 7th Hamas attacks.

In response, several countries pulled their funding for the UN agency, jeopardising the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to the desperate citizens of Gaza.

UNRWA, which was founded in 1949 and employs more than 30,000 people, works with Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank and other Middle Eastern countries such as Lebanon and Syria. So what will be the impact of these financial cuts for Palestinians on the ground?

Mark Weiss in Jerusalem talks to Sorcha Pollak about UNWRA, hostage negotiations and the risk of a wider war.

Produced by Suzanne Brennan and Declan Conlon.

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