US Urges Donors to Shift UNRWA Funds to Board of Peace as UK Pledges £23 Million

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 8

At UNRWA’s annual pledging conference, U.S. Ambassador Jeff Bartos urged governments to stop funding the agency and redirect aid to the Security Council-backed Board of Peace, calling UNRWA a “subsidiary of Hamas.”
Bartos said UNRWA schools in Gaza indoctrinate children and cited allegations that agency employees took part in Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel, arguing the U.S.-led board offers more accountable governance and reconstruction.
The U.N. pushed back, with spokesman Stéphane Dujarric saying UNRWA had taken strong action when presented with evidence, still operates under a General Assembly mandate, and remains part of Gaza’s humanitarian system.
European donors publicly broke with Washington’s stance: the UK announced £23 million for UNRWA, while France reaffirmed support, said it has provided €123 million since 2023, and backed reforms to strengthen neutrality and transparency.
The funding clash widened as UN Watch asked Secretary-General António Guterres to waive former UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini’s immunity so national authorities can investigate claims he ignored repeated warnings about Hamas infiltration.