'No plans' for more Scottish aid to UN Gaza agency

UNRWA provide humanitarian aid in Gaza

The Scottish government says it has no plans at present for further funding to a UN agency facing claims some of its staff were involved in Hamas attacks.

Last year Scottish ministers announced two donations totalling £750,000 for UNRWA's appeal for Gaza.

A number of countries have suspended new funding after the agency sacked several of its staff.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said while no more Scottish aid was planned, it was not a suspension of funding.

Israel claims to have evidence that UNRWA employees were involved in the 7 October attacks by Hamas.

UNRWA said it had launched a full investigation into information supplied by Israel, and that anyone involved in acts of terror would be held accountable.

But the agency's head Philippe Lazzarini has urged countries to reconsider decisions to halt funding, saying that more than two million people in Gaza depend on it for "sheer survival".

• UN in aid plea after staff accused of Israel attack

• UK halts aid to UN agency after Hamas attack claim

A Scottish government spokesperson said it was "deeply concerned" by the allegations about UNRWA staff.

"Given our recent funding of UNRWA, we have separately been in direct touch with them today and have requested further updates on the investigation. We have no plans to provide further support to UNRWA at this stage," the spokesperson said.

"These allegations are particularly concerning at a time when the international community must continue to find mechanisms to maintain, and increase the levels of life-saving aid getting into Gaza."

'Financial constraints'

First Minister Humza Yousaf later clarified that this was not a suspension of Scottish government funding but rather a reflection of financial pressures.

He tweeted: "To be clear, scotgov has not paused or withdrawn aid to UNRWA

"We have previously provided as much as we can within our financial constraints.

"We will always seek to do more where we can & urge others to continue to provide aid to the people of Gaza."

The UK government has announced a suspension of donations, as has the US State Department, Australia, Canada, Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and Italy.

But the Irish government has said it will continue funding because the agency provides "life giving assistance to 2.3m people".

Created in 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA, is the biggest UN agency operating in Gaza.

Employing 13,000 people in Gaza, it provides health care, education and other humanitarian aid.

Many Palestinians have taken refuge in UNRWA schools

On Friday Mark Regev, an adviser to the Israeli prime minister, told the BBC the 7 October attacks had involved "people who are on their [UNRWA] salaries".

He said there was evidence of teachers working for UNRWA celebrating the attacks and a former hostage had claimed she was held in the house of an agency employee.

The head of UNRWA, Mr Lazzarini, said a full investigation into the allegations was being carried out "to establish the truth without delay".

"To protect the agency's ability to deliver humanitarian assistance, I have taken the decision to immediately terminate the contracts of these staff members," Mr Lazzarini added.

Hamas killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the unprecedented attack on southern Israeli communities on 7 October last year.

The events triggered Israel's retaliatory attacks on Hamas in Gaza, which have killed more than 26,000 Palestinians, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

• Clarification: The headline on an earlier version of this story read "Scottish aid to UN agency paused after staff claims". That was changed to "'No plans' for more Scottish aid to UN Gaza agency".

Correction 13th February: This article wrongly reported that about 1,300 people had been killed following the 7th October attack by Hamas. This was based on counting those who later died from their injuries in addition to the figure of more than 1,200. The article has been amended to now refer to about 1,200 deaths, a figure which includes those deaths and which Israel says is not final.