Sweden cuts funding to Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA

Sweden’s aid minister Benjamin Dousa announced that his country will no longer fund the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

In statements made to Swedish broadcaster TV4 and cited by Reuters, Dousa said Sweden will instead provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza via other channels.

The minister added that their decision comes in response to the earlier “Israeli” ban of the agency, claiming “it will make channeling aid to the Palestinians via the agency more difficult”.

"There are several other organisations in Gaza, I have just been there and met several of them," Dousa said, adding that Sweden plans to increase its overall humanitarian assistance to Gaza next year.