As per the Spanish foreign minister, Spain has tripled its funds for the affected Palestinians.
In the recent turn of events as an act to display solidarity with the affected Palestinians, Spain, and Portugal have decided to provide more financial support to the UNRWA known as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. This support aims to help the individuals affected during the war
This additional grant aims to assist UNRWA in its humanitarian work to assist approximately 5.7 million Palestinian refugees in the Middle East.
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Alvarez told MPs on Monday that Spain will allocate an additional 3.5 million euros (about $3.8 million) to UNRWA.
The ministry discussed the urgency of the situation and underlined the risk that UNRWA’s humanitarian operations could be interrupted within weeks, especially if there is not enough support in Gaza.
He pointed out that Spain directly contributed 18.5 million euros to UNRWA in 2023, and increased development and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territories up to 50 million euros (approximately 54 million US dollars).
Likewise, Portuguese Foreign Minister João Cravinho announced on the social media platform X on Friday that Portugal will donate 1 million euros to UNRWA.
Clavinho emphasized the importance of standing by the Palestinian people in this difficult period and not leaving them alone in their time of need.
The remarks from Spain and Portugal come at a crucial time for UNRWA, which is struggling to cope with economic and social problems after major donors such as the United States and Germany withdrew inadequate financial support.
The suspension of funding resulted from allegations of misconduct by some UNRWA staff.
Last week, reports emerged that the Israeli military had accused approximately 190 UNRWA staff, including teachers, of participating in or supporting the operation alongside Hamas or Islamic Jihad, two militant groups. Of Israel.
The Israeli military claimed to have evidence, including names and photographs, that some UNRWA employees were linked to groups claiming to be involved in the attack.
UNRWA denied the allegations and said it was committed to investigating the allegations and taking appropriate action, including dismissal of the staff involved if necessary.
Operating in 58 refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, the organization provides basic services such as education, health, social support, and financial aid to a population of 1.2 million.
But the financial crisis has hampered UNRWA’s ability to manage its work, including paying 28,000 workers and continuing to provide essential services, especially in Gaza.
Affected by events such as the Israeli blockade and recent violence, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has deteriorated, and providing continuous support to meet the urgent needs of Palestinian refugees in the region has once again become important. .
