Sweden will no longer fund (UNRWA) and will instead provide increased overall humanitarian assistance to Gaza via other channels, the Nordic country says, in a move denounced by the head of the agency.
Sweden will no longer fund the United Nations refugee agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) and will instead provide increased overall humanitarian assistance to Gaza via other channels, the Nordic country says, in a move denounced by the head of the agency.
“The government’s core support to UNRWA ends,” the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday.
UNRWA provides assistance to nearly six million Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini called Sweden’s decision “disappointing” and coming at the “worst time for Palestine refugees”.
“The decision is one day after the members of the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution in support of UNRWA,” he said in a post on X.
“This is a sad day for Palestine Refugees and the multilateral system which Sweden has spearheaded,” Lazzarini said.