Australia resumes aid to UN agency for Palestinians

SYDNEY

Australia said Friday it will resume funding for the U.N.'s Palestinian refugee agency, after investigating claims some staff were linked to the Hamas attack on Oct. 7.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees — UNRWA — has been at the centre of controversy since Israel accused 12 of its employees of working with Islamist group Hamas.

About 15 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan pulled support from the agency earlier this year — slashing its funds by an estimated $450 million.

"The nature of these allegations warranted an immediate and appropriate response," Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Friday.

"The best available current advice from agencies and Australian government lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist organisation.

"After consideration by the national security committee this week, Australia is unpausing our contribution to UNRWA."

The Canadian and Swedish governments announced they were resuming funding for the cash-strapped agency earlier this month, infuriating Israeli officials.

Wong said Australia would resume its stalled $4 million contribution after the aid agency agreed to put in additional safeguards.

"I know there are people starving in Gaza," she told reporters.

"I know that UNRWA is critical to providing this assistance to people who are on the brink."

Hamas's Oct.r 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in about 1,160 deaths, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 31,341 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-ruled territory's health ministry.