Thousands of employees at the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees took the streets on Monday in Gaza against US President Donald Trump’s freeze of millions of dollars in aid! The US aid is immensely vital to the continuous efforts taken to help out Palestinian refugees; thus, the UN depends on it tremendously.
According to Arab News, the US suspended $65 million to the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) earlier this month, in addition to $45 million in food aid. Thousands of teachers, medical professionals, and other staff gathered in Gaza City to protest the cuts that UNRWA officials have stated could threaten the education of more than 500,000 children!
After his controversial recognition of Jerusalem, the Palestinian leadership froze ties with the Trump administration, arguing that Washington could no longer be the main mediator in talks with Israel. As a result, Trump has accused the Palestinians of refusing to engage in peace talks with Israel, saying last week they would suspend funding of aid until they returned to the table.
Matthias Schmale, UNRWA’s Director in Gaza, warned Trump of politicizing humanitarian aid for millions of impoverished people. Stating “You have been our biggest partner for decades, the United States, and you have helped us build one of the most effective and results-orientated public service organizations in the world. Protect this investment — all these people that are doing something good in the lives of refugees.”