Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to be notified of the outcome of the investigation into allegations that some staff members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) were involved in the Hamas attacks against Israel on 7 October 2023; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the humanitarian response in Gaza is not adversely affected as a result of the suspension of donor country funds to UNRWA.

The UK's pause in any future funding of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) will remain in place until we review the allegations, and we are looking to our partners in the UN to carry out a robust and comprehensive investigation. Any future funding decisions will be taken after this point. We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands, and we are getting on with aid delivery through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people in Gaza get food, water, shelter and medicines. The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza.