The United States said the main United Nations aid agency in Gaza needs to make changes to "restore donor confidence" before it will resume giving money to the agency, the US ambassador to the UN said.
The US has long been a leading donor for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA), but the US and several other countries paused funding after Israel alleged 13 employees were associated with Hamas' October 7 attacks.
Even though humanitarian aid is desperately needed in Gaza, the US will continue its pause until there are "fundamental changes to UNRWA to prevent this from happening again," US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said Wednesday that he was "personally horrified" by the allegations and that the UN acted immediately after hearing them. Thomas-Greenfield said the US appreciates the allegations are being taken seriously.
"We know the Secretary-General has pledged to pursue further accountability, including a 'comprehensive and independent' review of UNRWA. This investigation needs to be swift, thorough, and credible," she told the UN Security Council Wednesday.