UN agency accused of Hamas ties sees another European nation cut funding
Finland to End Funding of UNRWA Amid Hamas Infiltration Allegations
FINLAND, 2024 — Finland announced that it will discontinue its financial support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) at the end of 2026, following the United States and Sweden’s recent decisions to halt their contributions to the agency. The move comes amid a wave of investigations that have raised doubts about the organization’s independence and its alleged ties to Hamas.
UNRWA, the UN body that provides food, shelter, education and health services to Palestinian refugees, has received roughly $23 million from Finland under a four‑year multi‑year agreement covering 2023‑2026. The Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed to reporters that the agreement will conclude at the end of 2026, but “as of yet, no decision has been made on what are the international partners through which Finland’s support will be channeled next year to meet the acute needs in the region.” Finland’s officials have not yet explained the specific reasons behind the funding cut.
The decision follows a broader shift in international aid policy. In February 2025, the Trump administration in the United States removed all U.S. funding for UNRWA, citing concerns over the agency’s alleged cooperation with Hamas. Sweden ended its support in December 2024 and redirected aid to other UN bodies in its Gaza response. The Finnish move is the latest in a growing list of countries that are re‑examining the viability of UNRWA as a vehicle for humanitarian assistance.
The backdrop to Finland’s decision is a series of investigations that have suggested a significant proportion of UNRWA staff have links to Hamas. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Inspector General has identified about 1,500 UNRWA employees who may have participated in or supported the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel. The agency has referred 108 staff members to the U.S. State Department for potential suspension from further U.S.‑funded projects. NGO UN Watch’s “Terror Network” report, based on cross‑checking UNRWA employee lists with Hamas rosters seized by the Israel Defense Forces, claims that roughly 12 percent of the agency’s Gaza staff are members of terror organizations.
“The investigation has prompted several other countries to reassess the stale and conventional thinking that UNRWA is the best and only option to provide aid to civilians in Gaza,” a senior U.S. official briefed on the USAID findings told reporters. “The findings will prevent Hamas‑affiliated staff from circulating across future, more responsible aid organizations operating in Gaza.”
Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, said the Finnish decision “will not deprive Palestinians of aid; it will be redirected through genuine humanitarian agencies such as the World Food Programme that are not systemically infiltrated by Hamas.” He urged other democracies to follow Finland’s lead and to stop financing what he described as a “machinery of hate.” “Defunding UNRWA is a prerequisite for deradicalization, the first step in the Gaza peace plan,” Neuer added. He added that the agency “has perpetuated the conflict by teaching generations of Palestinians that their future lies in a ‘right of return’ that would eliminate Israel.”
The Board of Peace reconstruction effort, which is backed by the Trump administration, has stated that a new Gaza will be “demilitarized and deradicalized,” and that it will replace UNRWA with “trusted, credible delivery partners.” “We anticipate responsibly replacing UNRWA with vetted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza,” an official said.
The United Nations has responded cautiously. “UNRWA has taken note of the announcement, and they are grateful to Finland for the disbursement of the 2023‑2026 funds under the multi‑year agreement,” a spokesperson for U.N. Secretary‑General António Guterres said. “UNRWA looks forward to continuing our discussions with the government.” The spokesperson also said that the Secretary‑General “continues to encourage member states to support UNRWA’s vital work.”
UNRWA itself has not yet commented on the Finnish announcement. As