On Wednesday, January 29 the director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Lebanon, Dorothee Klaus, said that the agency has not been affected so far by the new United States administration’s decision to halt foreign aid funding, nor by the Israeli ban on its operations in Palestine.
After the inauguration of new US president Donald Trump, the administration immediately took a series of executive decisions, which included a halt to foreign aid funding.
The halt has impacted the entire world given the large presence of US funding in the humanitarian and development sectors.
This includes agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the works of the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) and funding pools for international organizations, such as UN agencies.
In her statement, UNRWA director Klaus stated that the organization does not receive any US funding, including funding that might go into the UN system.
She also added that the Israeli government’s decision to ban UNRWA operations in East Jerusalem has not impacted the agency’s activities in Lebanon.
After Israeli authorities claimed that UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas-led attack, Klaus revealed that four of UNRWA in Lebanon’s staff employees were placed on administrative leave as part of an internal investigation into alleged violations of the UN’s neutrality principles.
Extension of Israeli Withdrawal Deadline
On January 27, the deadline for the total withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon was extended until February 18.
The decision came after deadly Israeli attacks on the January 26 that killed 23 citizens and one Lebanese soldier, including six women, and injured 134 individuals, including 14 women and 12 children attempting to return to their villages after more than several months of Israeli control of the area and the passing of the initial two-months deadline for total Israeli withdrawal.
According to the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, Israeli forces killed at least 83 individuals in Lebanon after the onset of the conditional ceasefire agreement, and injured at least 228 others attempting to return to their villages between the beginning of the agreement on November 27, 2024, and January 27, 2025.
Israeli forces also bombed the entrance of southern villages such as Yaroun to deter citizens from proceeding farther.
Human Rights Organizations Issue Statement
On January 30, a group of humanitarian, development and human rights organizations issued a statement calling for a permanent ceasefire and a just recovery in Lebanon.
The statement highlighted the number of violations committed by Israeli forces and the grim reality of hundreds of thousands of people not being able to return to their towns or villages.
The statement also called six concrete action points, which include:
1. Immediate, Unconditional and Definitive Ceasefire in Lebanon and the Region.
2. Unconditional Humanitarian Access and Scaling Up Assistance.
3. Inclusive Recovery Focusing on Social Cohesion.
4. Supporting Local and National NGOs in Response Planning and Implementation.
5. Halt the Transfer of Arms to Conflict Parties.
6. Accountability and Respect for International Law.
The statement was signed by 11 organizations, including Oxfam, the Danish Refugee Council, Save the Children, the Lebanese Center for Human Rights, Médecins du Monde (MdM), Islamic Relief, Euromed Rights Network, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), CCFD – Terre Solidaire, WeWorld and Badil | The Alternative Policy Institute.
It can be found here.