The State Department is temporarily pausing new funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East while reviewing allegations that 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Thursday with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres "to emphasize the necessity of a thorough and swift investigation of this matter," Miller said in a statement. Lazzarini said he’s fired several staff members after Israel provided the agency "with information about the alleged involvement of several UNRWA employees" in the Oct. 7 attacks. Anyone who betrays the fundamental values of the United Nations also betrays those whom we serve in Gaza, across the region and elsewhere around the world." pauses funding for UN agency amid allegations employees involved in Israel attack originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

Source: ABC News January 26, 2024 15:53 UTC