Germany, a major donor to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, has recently severed financial ties with the humanitarian organisation
Qatar’s Minister of State met with the German Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing humanitarian strife in the Gaza Strip and occupied Palestinian territories.
According to a communique published by the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi stressed to Jens Jokisch the importance of continuing international efforts for a ceasefire to be reinstated.
Since the beginning of Israel’s air, land and sea offensives against Gaza on October 7, Palestine’s Health Ministry reports that at least 26,751 people have been killed and a further 65,636 wounded.
While inflicting human suffering on Palestinians, Israel has also crippled the Gaza Strip’s health sector, which is battling the strain of the carnage wreaked by the aggressor.
The United Nations’ humanitarian agency (UN OCHA) reported on Tuesday that amid critical fuel, blood and medical supplies, only 14 hospitals in the enclave are functioning — even still, only partially.
Ambulances also haven’t been spared from the violent occupier’s attacks, as UN OCHA added that at least 122 emergency vehicles have sustained damage.
In this context, Minister Al Khulaifi said the safe entry of aid missions to Gaza is imperative.
On Monday, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced that two national armed forces aircraft arrived in the Egyptian city of El Arish. On board, the planes were 41 tonnes worth of medical aid to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza.
According to the Foreign Ministry, the aid was part of Qatar’s “full support to the brotherly Palestinian people currently subjected to difficult humanitarian conditions.”
The Gulf state’s continued mediatory efforts amid the worsening humanitarian crises in Gaza are appreciated by Germany — as expressed on Tuesday by Special Envoy Jokisch.
‘Catastrophic consequences’ for UNRWA
Jokisch’s country, along with other Western nations, has recently announced a decision to suspend funding to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
This comes amid allegations from Israel that UNRWA staff committed acts of terror on October 7.
In a joint statement published on Tuesday, this move was decried as inducing “catastrophic consequences” for the people of Gaza.
Signatories to this statement include the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths, and the World Health Organisation’s Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The statement appealed to countries, such as Germany, to reinstate their funding to the humanitarian organisation.
“Withdrawing funds from UNRWA is perilous and would result in the collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza, with far-reaching humanitarian and human rights consequences in the occupied Palestinian territory and across the region,” the statement read.
The signatories concluded by pleading to the international community to “not abandon the people of Gaza.”
In an official statement published on Saturday, UNRWA’s chief, Philippe Lazzarini warned that that these funding cuts may see the end of the organisation’s ability to serve those in need in Gaza.
“I urge countries who have suspended their funding to re-consider their decisions before UNRWA is forced to suspend its humanitarian response. The lives of people in Gaza depend on this support and so does regional stability,” he said.
According to a report on Friday from Al Jazeera, the UN’s Secretary General, António Guterres, has instructed Philippe Lazzarini to launch a probe to investigate Israel’s accusations.
