Responding To Israel's Prohibition, Sweden Ends Funding The UN Refugee Agency For UNRWA's Palestine

UNRWA in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, provides health consultations for civilians amid the widespread Israeli military invasion of the entire Gaza Strip. (X UNRWA)

JAKARTA - Sweden will no longer fund the UN refugee agency for Palestine, aka UNRWA, starting in 2025.

Speaking to Sweden TV4 quoted by Reuters on Friday, December 20, Sweden's Minister of Aid, Benjamin Dousa said his country would provide assistance to Gaza through other channels.

Israel has banned UNRWA operations in the country from the end of January 2025.

Benjamin Netanyahu's administration has repeatedly accused UNRWA of being involved in a Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023 against Israel that sparked an invasion of Gaza for more than a year.

Dousa said Sweden's decision to end funding for UNRWA was a response to Israel's ban.

On the one hand, Sweden plans to increase its humanitarian aid to Gaza next year.

"There are several other organizations in Gaza, I just went there and met some of them," said Dousa.

He added that the United Nations World Food Program as one of the potential recipients of the UNRWA replacement.

Previously, the UN General Assembly provided its support for UNRWA in December 2024.

The United Nations also demanded that Israel respect the agency's mandate and "allow its operations to run without any restrictions or restrictions."