Tánaiste urges resumption of funding to UNRWA after report 'vindicates' aid agency

Tánaiste Micheál Martin is expected to visit a hospital close to the Rafah border with Gaza today. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has urged countries to resume funding to UNRWA after a report has "vindicated" the agency for Palestinian refugees.

Mr Martin is expected to visit a hospital close to the Rafah border with Gaza today where he will meet with people who have been evacuated from the Palestinian enclave for medical treatment. He will also speak with aid workers.

Mr Martin said his delegation "want to see firsthand ourselves and hear firsthand," from those who are providing humanitarian support to Gaza and he will ask them to "take us through the challenges and the problems that they see firsthand in terms of getting vital aid into starving Palestinians living in Gaza."

A review carried out by Former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna has found that Israel has not provided evidence that significant numbers of workers with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees have links to militant groups.

Palestinians inspect the destruction following an Israeli military raid in Nur Shams refugee camp, near the West Bank town of Tulkarem. Picture: AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed

However, the report states that more robust vetting of staff members should be introduced to ensure neutrality and work to reestablish trust with donors, a highly anticipated report said Monday.

While many countries immediately paused funding in January after Israel claimed that 12 UNRWA staff members had been involved in the Hamas attacks of Oct 7, Ireland has continued to support the agency and has increased funding by €20m this year.

Reacting to the report, Mr Martin, who will meet UNWRA staff when he travels to the border with Gaza today, said: "It vindicates the Irish stance."

Speaking to reporters in Cairo, the Tánaiste added: "We were very clear from the word go that you could not replace UNRWA or undermine UNRWA's role in terms of giving vital aid and education to children, half a million children in Gaza are without education and the only credible organisation that can deliver education is UNRWA.

"So we took an opposite view to most countries, we actually increased aid at the time and I'm hoping now as a result of the publication of this report that some countries who have paused their support will now allow their support to get through," he said.