White House National Security Council Press Secretary John Kirby on Friday asked about the amount of money the United States has provided to the U.N. agency, which faces allegations that some member states are involved with Hamas. ' said he did not know. October 7th attack on Israel.
Kirby announced earlier today that the United States is “deeply troubled” by the State Department's assertion that more than a dozen employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) are assisting Palestinian refugees. He made the comments in an exchange with Fox News' White House correspondent Peter Doocy. 'Possibly involved' in the Middle East Hamas attack. The State Department has since “temporarily suspended further funding” to UNRWA pending a review.
“Certainly there appears to be reason to be concerned about the actions of some members of UNRWA, but that does not and should not be an indictment of the entire agency and the entire body of work that they do. “No,” Kirby said. “They have helped save literally thousands of lives in Gaza. They are doing important work. [It] That doesn't mean there aren't people in that group who potentially need to be punished for this kind of behavior. ”
“But when you have 12 suspects, that's terrible,” Doocy said.
Biden administration cuts funding to controversial UN agency accused of aiding Hamas genocide
National Security Council Press Secretary John Kirby spoke at a White House press conference on Friday, January 26th. (AP/Evan Vucci)
“It's bad, it's bad if it is. It's bad if it is,” Kirby replied.
“And the United States is giving them money, but how much?” Doocy then asked.
“We stopped, we stopped,” Kirby began, before Doocy asked, “How long before the stop?”
“Peter, I don't have dollar numbers. We will accept and respond to questions. However, we are suspending unallocated funds pending the outcome of the investigation,” Kirby concluded. .
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Philippe Lazzarini, Director-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), will hold a press conference in Jerusalem on October 27, 2023. (Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu, via Getty Images)
U.S. funding to the agency will be reinstated subject to the agency's investigation. united nations.
Citing information provided by Israeli authorities, UNRWA said on Friday that it would terminate the contract with the accused official, “protecting the agency's ability to provide humanitarian assistance” and “revealing the truth without delay,” according to Reuters, citing information provided by Israeli authorities. They announced that they would conduct an investigation to find out.
A man walks in front of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency building in Gaza City on January 30, 2023. (Photo by Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency, Getty Images)
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The US State Department said in a press release that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had discussed a “comprehensive and independent” investigation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. He said the United States must take “full responsibility for those who participated in the heinous attack of October 7.”
FOX News' Peter Aitken contributed to this report.
