PRAGUE

Denmark confirmed Friday that it would not withdraw funding to the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) because de-funding would “accelerate a humanitarian conflict” in the Gaza Strip, said media broadcaster, DR News.

Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Denmark would make the planned financial assistance as scheduled to the UN agency in March.

“UNRWA is the organization in Gaza that has the ability to ensure the civilian population just a decent living,” said Rasmussen. "We are talking about water, about health clinics and about the possibility of vaccinating children. It is a catastrophic situation in Gaza, and if you cut the legs of UNRWA, you are accelerating a humanitarian conflict.”

He said collective punishment of Gazans is not a way forward to resolve the complex crisis in the region.

"It's quite terrible, but now it's not like we normally have a principle of collective punishment. We are talking about an organization that has about 30,000 employees – 13,000 are in Gaza," he said.

Rasmussen said countries that have suspended funding to UNRWA have already committed financial assistance to the agency for this year, hence their action on the Israeli allegation was mere “political signaling."

Several countries including the US, UK, Germany, France, Austria and Japan have suspended funding to the agency established in 1949 to cater to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

The agency is involved in primary and vocational education, primary health care, relief and social services, infrastructure and camp improvement, and emergency response.

The UN agency said it opened an investigation into the allegations and has severed ties with staff members accused by Israel of being involved in the Oct. 7 attacks.