The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on 6 March 2024 that the State of Qatar will be providing additional support United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) worth USD 25 million to help meet the emergency needs that UNRWA is currently facing based on Qatar's firm positions in supporting and assisting the fraternal Palestinian people, especially in light of the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip.

The announcement was made by H.E. Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations (UN) Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The State of Qatar also extended its thanks and appreciation to H.E. Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini for his courageous and responsible message addressed to the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), in which he detailed in a professional and precise manner the details of the catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, and to the members of his team who carry out their humanitarian message and implement UNRWA's mandate in extremely difficult and complex circumstances.

Her Excellency emphasized that the State of Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the heinous massacre committed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza, on 29 February 2024 against unarmed civilians who were waiting for humanitarian aid to arrive in Gaza, which led to the fall of dozens of martyrs and wounded. She added that the State of Qatar calls for urgent international action to end this aggression immediately in preparation for addressing the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, which threaten a real famine in northern Gaza as a result of the siege and bombing.

H.E. the Permanent Representative, pointed out that the State of Qatar stresses the need for the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibilities to oblige the Israeli occupation to comply with international law and international humanitarian law, as well as to provide protection for the fraternal Palestinian people from the systematic Israeli policies to kill, besiege, starve, and forcibly displace them. She stressed that the State of Qatar would continue its efforts in cooperation with regional and international partners to achieve an immediate ceasefire, protect civilians, and facilitate the unhindered entry of humanitarian aid into all areas of the Strip.

She added that the State of Qatar condemns the systematic targeting campaign aimed at dismantling UNRWA, and expresses its regret over the suspension of some donor countries' funding allocated to the agency, to which there is no alternative, and on which five million Palestinians depend, especially in light of the current catastrophic humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Qatar joins voice with His Excellency in his appeal to countries that have suspended their support for UNRWA to review their decisions and resume their funding

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)/QNA
Cover image credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA)

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Fareeha Imtiaz

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