(Ottawa) Canada has handed over an additional $40 million to non-governmental organizations helping Palestinians in Gaza, after suspending its funding to the United Nations agency in the region.
Ottawa specified on Tuesday that 40% of this aid ($16 million) would go to the World Food Program. The rest will be divided between UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund, the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
An additional $5 million has also been allocated to Canadian NGOs “with expertise.”
The Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussein, said in a press statement, “Since the beginning of the crisis, our position has always revolved around the firm conviction of the necessity of increasing aid and not reducing it, and this is still the case.”
“In line with this commitment, we are providing additional emergency funding so that our trusted and experienced partners in the humanitarian sector can continue to ensure that this funding reaches the most vulnerable people when they need it.”
The organization said on Tuesday that, contrary to what Minister Hussein suggested on Monday, MSF does not receive funding from the Canadian government for its work in Gaza. “The work our teams do in Gaza is funded entirely by private donations. This is a practical choice that protects and respects our deep values of impartiality, neutrality and independence,” said Jason Nickerson, Canada Humanitarian Representative for MSF.
Allegations against UNRWA
Canada has suspended further funding for UNRWA, the UN agency that supports Palestinians in Gaza and employs about 13,000 people there, in response to allegations that some of its staff played a role in violent Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7.
This step comes in the wake of international protests against the agency director's expulsion of nine employees suspected of involvement in the attack. The United Nations condemned these “alleged heinous acts.”
On Monday, the Associated Press obtained an Israeli document containing details of these allegations. Seven UNRWA staff members reportedly entered Israel on 7 October. One of them allegedly participated in a kidnapping and the other participated in stealing the body of a soldier. Three other people were also accused of participating in the attacks.
The Associated Press reported that ten employees were listed as having links to Hamas and one to the armed group Islamic Jihad. According to the document, two of the 12 people were killed. The United Nations said earlier that one of them had not yet been officially identified.
These accusations could not be independently confirmed.
Minister Hussein refused to say whether the $40 million announced on Tuesday was money that would have been paid to UNRWA anyway. He also did not specify when the last payment from Canada was made to this agency.
He explained Tuesday morning that in the past, “funds allocated to Gaza were distributed through UNRWA and used to provide much-needed humanitarian assistance.” Minister Hussein added that the agency's long-term support will be affected by the suspension of payments.
UNRWA said it would be forced to halt its activities by the end of February if funding was not restored. Since the beginning of the war, most of Gaza's 2.3 million people have relied on the agency's programs to survive.
A coalition of 20 NGOs, including the Norwegian Refugee Council, Oxfam and Save the Children, also called for funding to be restored, saying UNRWA's humanitarian aid cannot be replaced.
“Canada will continue to work with UNRWA and other donors to support the investigation into the serious and deeply troubling allegations that have been made, while respecting its commitment to assist the most vulnerable Palestinian civilians in the region.” .
The statement also calls for a humanitarian ceasefire to allow more aid into the Gaza Strip, and reiterates Canada's call for a two-state solution in the region.
The Hamas attack left 1,200 people dead in Israel and about 250 people taken hostage in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities. An estimated 100 hostages are still alive and being held in the besieged area.
Since October 7, Israel has been bombing Gaza from the air and sea, and carrying out a large-scale military operation on the ground. The Gaza Ministry of Health estimates that more than 26,000 Palestinians were killed.
Canada has so far pledged $100 million in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
