Trudeau won’t say if Canada will restore funding to UN relief agency in Gaza Strip

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau won’t say if Canada intends to restore funding to a UN relief agency operating in the Gaza Strip.

“We’re not making any announcements today. But we will continue to make sure Canada does the right thing in this situation and puts the protection of civilian life at the forefront of everything we do,” he told reporters at a news conference Thursday.

Trudeau added that ministers are in the Middle East right now working with partners in the region and discussing how Canada can help.

The prime minister said Canada needs to get more aid into Gaza and has been discussing the possibility of airlifting aid in. 

Sixteen countries paused payments to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency after Israel alleged that a dozen of the aid organization’s workers participated in the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7.

That day, militants killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and took another 250 hostage, triggering a devastating war.

Authorities in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by Hamas, say more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli military response.

UNRWA is the primary provider of social and humanitarian assistance in the territory, including health care and education. It relies almost exclusively on donations from UN member countries.

A senior government source told The Canadian Press on Wednesday that a final decision has not yet been made on restoring funding to the agency. The source spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the talks. 

Canada has not missed a payment since announcing the pause in funding. Its payment of $25 million for this year isn’t due until April.

Canada’s discussions come after the European Union opted late last week to proceed with a partial delivery of its funding after reaching an agreement with the agency that includes allowing the EU to audit it.

International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen was due to deliver an update on aid at a Wednesday morning press conference, but it was abruptly cancelled about 90 minutes before it was set to begin. 

A spokeswoman for Hussen would only say it was cancelled for “logistical reasons.” She would not confirm or deny a report from CBC News on Tuesday evening that Hussen was set to announce UNRWA funding would flow as scheduled.

A pair of Liberal MPs who have been vocal about the Israel-Hamas war issued a joint statement on Thursday that recommended Canada maintain its pause on funding for the agency.

“Given its history, we believe that UNRWA lacks sufficient governance and internal controls to ensure that humanitarian aid delivered by Canada will be reliably delivered to those who actually need it and that there is a serious risk funds will be misappropriated by Hamas,” read the statement from Anthony Housefather and Marco Mendicino, the former public safety minister.

Israel ramped up its criticism of the embattled UN agency on Monday, saying 450 of its employees were members of militant groups in the Gaza Strip, though it provided no evidence to back up its accusation.

The Israel-Hamas war has driven 80 per cent of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes, and UN officials say a quarter of the population is starving as access to the enclave is restricted.

UNRWA is the main supplier of food, water and shelter there, but it is on the brink of financial collapse.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2024.

— With files from The Associated Press.

Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press