Humanitarian situation in Gaza | Canada ends UNRWA funding freeze

(Ottawa) After questioning the sustainability of funding for UNRWA, the Canadian government confirms that the tap will not ultimately be turned off. In the meantime, the Armed Forces will provide Jordan with some 300 parachutes to drop essential supplies into the skies over Gaza.

“Canada is deeply concerned by the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, which is worsening by the hour. Aid must reach civilians as quickly as possible,” said International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen in a statement.

He argued that UNRWA played “a vital role in Gaza by providing humanitarian assistance to more than two million people, in addition to its crucial activities supporting 4 million people in the rest of the region.”

The Canadian Armed Forces will provide approximately 300 parachutes to the Royal Jordanian Air Force to help it airdrop essential supplies into Gaza, it was also indicated on Friday.

The Canadian government recognizes, in the same breath, that “airdrops absolutely do not replace deliveries by land or sea”, and “continues to request the opening of more points of entry, the expansion of access” .

Delivering the announcement was obviously difficult.

On Wednesday, a press conference on aid to Gaza was canceled 75 minutes from the scheduled time. Thursday, behind the scenes, we talked about taking a position with allies. And on Friday, the media were notified about an hour before the announcement that it would finally take place.

Canada and around fifteen donors cut off funding to the organization at the end of January, after Israel alleged that 12 of its employees took part in the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) quickly fired the dozen employees, and an investigation led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna , was launched.

Minister Hussen said that Ottawa had been “reassured” by the findings of the UN provisional report on this issue, the final version of which – which the United Nations has promised to make public – is expected by the end of April .

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities made new accusations on Monday against the UN agency, alleging that 450 of its employees in Gaza were Hamas militants. The Jewish state has not yet provided evidence to support its claims.

“Claims discovered”

Malnutrition, even famine, threatens the population of the Gaza Strip, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr.^r Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

A visit to the enclave yielded “sinister discoveries,” he wrote Monday on X. Findings like “serious levels of malnutrition” and “children dying of starvation,” he said he mentioned in particular.

“Kamal Adwan Hospital is the only pediatric hospital in northern Gaza; he is overwhelmed with patients. The lack of food led to the death of 10 children,” also lamented the head of the WHO, whose organization had access to the Gaza Strip for the first time.

Diametrically opposed reactions

The Conservative Party, which cut aid under Stephen Harper’s government in 2010, opposed the restoration of Canadian aid tooth and nail – no payments were canceled; what was at stake was the payment of 25 million next April.

The reaction, vitriol and tinged with sarcasm, did not take long on Friday.

“With evidence that UNRWA employees participated in the killings, rapes and hostage taking of October 7, Canada is restoring the funding it never really cut by giving more to this agency. I am sure the investigation was thorough,” blasted Deputy Chief Melissa Lantsman.

“Rewarding rapists on International Women’s Day.” Horrible. Disgusting,” added the Jewish representative.

It must be said that the decision is not unanimous within Liberal ranks either: before Friday’s announcement, MPs Anthony Housefather and Marco Mendicino published an open letter on social networks to express their opposition.

Because according to them, the UN agency founded in 1949 “does not have sufficient governance and internal controls” that can guarantee that the humanitarian aid provided by Canada will go “to those who really need it”.

And “there is a serious risk that funds will be misappropriated by Hamas,” they judge.

Conversely, the New Democrat Alexandre Boulerice welcomed this change of direction. “Funding should never have been suspended. An investigation should be carried out, but this cannot punish thousands of starving families in Gaza. It was an unjustified and cruel decision,” he argued on the X network.

Amnesty International also advocated for the return of funding. “We are not punishing 2 million people for allegations which, we agree, are very serious,” insisted France-Isabelle Langlois, of the French-speaking Canadian section of the organization.

The Center for Israel and Jewish Relations (CIJA) reacted unfavorably to a CBC article on the possible reinstatement of aid. “It is a shameful day and a deplorable decision,” the organization wrote on the X network on Wednesday.

“Denying reality doesn’t change reality. The Government of Canada once again refuses to recognize that UNRWA is part of the problem and not the solution,” was also criticized in the same message.

Justin Trudeau’s government restored funding to UNRWA in November 2016.