Finland has cut funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), following the United States and Sweden in doing so.
Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs told Fox News Digital that its current agreement with UNRWA will conclude at the end of the year. “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,” the official said.
In February 2025, President Trump withdrew the United States from UNRWA. According to the order, “UNRWA has reportedly been infiltrated by members of groups long designated by the Secretary of State (Secretary) as foreign terrorist organizations, and UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. UNHRC [UN Human Rights Council] has protected human rights abusers by allowing them to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny, while UNESCO [UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization] has demonstrated failure to reform itself, has continually demonstrated anti-Israel sentiment over the past decade, and has failed to address concerns over mounting arrears.”
Meanwhile, aid-related matters for Gaza have shifted to the board of Peace. An official connected to the Board said to Fox News that the “international community’s concern about UNRWA in Gaza continues to rise and is supported by damning evidence. The Board of Peace has been clear: New Gaza will be both demilitarized and deradicalized, and we will only be working with trusted, credible delivery partners to achieve our goals. We anticipate responsibly replacing UNRWA with vetted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza.”
