Skip next section Germany to resume cooperation with UNRWA
04/24/2024April 24, 2024
Germany to resume cooperation with UNRWA
Germany will reestablish cooperation with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in Gaza (UNRWA), the government said on Wednesday.
Germany was among the countries that cut relations with the agency following Israeli allegations that some UNRWA employees had ties to the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
The move comes after an investigation by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna into whether some UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 attacks by Hamas. The report identified “neutrality-related issues.”
Colonna’s report also said Israel had not offered proof to back its claims that UNRWA staff members were members of terrorist organizations.
https://p.dw.com/p/4f7D7
Skip next section Israel thanks US Senate for passing military aid bill
04/24/2024April 24, 2024
Israel thanks US Senate for passing military aid bill
Israel’s foreign minister on Wednesday thanked the to Israel’s war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas, saying it sent a “strong message” to the country’s enemies.
“I thank the US Senate for passing the Israel aid package tonight with an overwhelming bipartisan majority,” Israel Katz posted on social media site X, formerly Twitter. “The Israel aid package that now passed both houses of Congress is a clear testament to the strength of our alliance and sends a strong message to all our enemies.”
US President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill on Wednesday.
The Senate approval comes as enters its 201st day. The war was triggered after Hamas carried out unprecedented attacks on Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 240 hostages. The European Union as well as the United States, Germany and several other countries classify Hamas as a terrorist organization.
The aid has become even more urgent “for Israel, which just faced unprecedented attacks from Iran,” Biden said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the $95 billion package meant for US allies also includes humanitarian relief aid for the citizens of Gaza.
The Palestinian territory’s Hamas-led Health Ministry said 34,183 people have been killed in Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, most of them women and children.
https://p.dw.com/p/4f7Bh
The post Middle East updates: Germany resumes UNRWA cooperation appeared first on Deutsche Welle.