LOC09:56
06:56 GMT
WASHINGTON, Jan 31 (JUNA) -- Canada has announced providing USD 40 million in funding for humanitarian aid for the Gaza strip.
This followed Canadaآ’s recent announcement to temporarily pause additional funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), after allegations of several employeesآ’ suspected involvement in "Al-Aqsa flood" operation.
The Canadian government said late Tuesday in a statement: "Today, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of International Development, announced that Canada is providing an additional USD 40 million in funding for humanitarian assistance to address urgent needs stemming from the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip."
"This funding will help Canadaآ’s partners to provide food, water, emergency medical assistance, protection services and other life-saving assistance," it added.
The funds will be through different relief and humanitarian aid organizations, not including the UNRWA, like the World Food Programme, UNICEF, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organization, International Committee of the Red Cross, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), and آ‘experiencedآ’ Canadian non-governmental organisation.
The Canadian government affirmed that "the scale of the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip continues to require our urgent attention and immediate response. We must ensure that Palestinian civilians who need life-saving assistance receive it quickly."
The statement also stressed that Canadaآ’s main goal is for peace in the Middle East, which includes "the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel."
Many Western countries, including the US and Canada, have recently announced pausing their funding to UNRWA after the allegations of United Nation employeesآ’ involvement in "Al-Aqsa flood" operation. (end)
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