France’s Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that the country will provide over 30 million euros to UNRWA, the UN’s “Palestinian refugee” agency, this year to support its operations amid the war in Gaza.
"We will make our contributions while ensuring that the conditions are met for UNRWA to fulfill its missions in a spirit devoid of incitement to hatred and violence", Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine told journalists, according to Reuters.
He did not say when the next payment to the agency would be made but according to the usual quarterly schedule, the next tranche is due in April.
France is one of a host of countries which cut funding to UNRWA in January, after Israel said that 12 UNRWA staff had taken part in Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Among other things, Israel said those workers kidnapped a woman, handed out ammunition and actively taking part in the massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri, where 97 people were murdered.
Since then, a number of countries resumed or increased their funding to UNRWA, including Spain, Canada and Australia.
Last week, Saudi Arabia announced $40 million in funding to UNRWA, that would provide food for more than 250,000 people and tents for 20,000 families.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said earlier this week that the agency has enough funds to keep operating until at least the end of May.
While Lazzarini announced that the UN agency had launched an investigation into the employees which Israel said were involved in the October 7 attacks, he has also insisted he had no knowledge of how deep Hamas is involved in UNRWA.
The UNRWA chief has repeatedly accused Israel of "a deliberate and concerted campaign" aimed at ending the agency’s work.