JEDDAH: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) regretted the decision by a number of states to stop fresh funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). It viewed this action as a kind of collective punishment that would make the Gaza Strip’s humanitarian predicament worse.
It urged the states concerned to reconsider their decision so that the UNRWA may continue aiding Palestinian refugees, and meeting their basic needs of shelter, food, and primary medical care, especially in the Gaza Strip.
#OIC: #UNRWA Funding Suspension, Collective Punishment that Exacerbates the #Humanitarian Crisis in the #Gaza Strip: https://t.co/gFP6kBneQF pic.twitter.com/VFF1kWa2sr
— OIC (@OIC_OCI) January 29, 2024
Gaza is experiencing difficult circumstances due to the escalation of the Israeli military aggression that is continued for 114 days now, martyring and injuring tens of thousands of innocent civilians, including children, women, journalists, and medical personnel, in addition to the deliberate destruction of buildings including schools, hospitals, UN facilities, places of worship, and denial of access to medicine, food, water, and electricity.
The OIC also issued a warning about the risk that the lives of millions of Palestinian refugees as well as the security and stability of the area will be negatively impacted by halting donations to UNRWA’s budget and cutting off its services.