Japan has announced a pause in its contributions to the United Nations’ agency that supports Palestinian refugees.
This decision comes after Israel accused some staff members of the UN agency of being involved in an attack by Hamas on October 7.
The agency, known as UNRWA, responded to Israel’s allegations by dismissing several staff members. They have also promised to look into the allegations thoroughly. Israel, on its part, has said that it will shut down the work of the agency in Gaza once the current tensions subside.
The Japanese government expressed its deep concern about the claims that UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 incident.
Japan made it clear on Sunday that, as a result, it would temporarily stop any further donations to UNRWA. This halt will remain until the agency completes its investigation and takes steps to respond to the allegations.
Despite this, Japan also stated its commitment to continue working towards bettering the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip. They plan to do this by supporting other international organizations and by engaging in active diplomacy to help calm the situation as quickly as possible.
