Austria, Japan decide to suspend funding for UNRWA

Austria is suspending payments to the United Nations’ Palestinian aid agency, UNRWA, pending a full investigation into accusations that its employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the Austrian foreign ministry said on January 29, Report informs referring to Reuters.

"We call on UNRWA and the United Nations to conduct a comprehensive, swift and complete investigation into the allegations," the ministry said in a statement.

Austria joins Britain, Germany, the US, Australia and Canada, among others, in pausing funding to the aid agency, a critical source of support for people in Gaza.

Japan is also suspending its additional funding to a UN agency for Palestinian refugees in response to alleged involvement by some of its staff members in the October 7 attack by Hamas militants on Israel, according to NHK.