The head of the UNRWA is visiting three Gulf states this week, seeking to drum up support after key donors suspended funding following Israeli allegations that some of its staff were involved in the October 7 attack, Reuters reports.

Some 15 of the agency’s most important donors, including the United States, have suspended funding over Israel’s allegations involving 12 of its 13,000 staff, prompting UNRWA to warn last week that it might be forced to shut down by the end of February.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had previously said nine of those implicated had been terminated, one was dead and the identities of the other two were being clarified.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on X he met with the United Arab Emirates’ Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Monday to discuss UNRWA’s work in “preserving the stability in the region” and delivering aid to two million people in Gaza.

Spokesperson Juliette Touma told Reuters that Lazzarini would then visit Qatar and Kuwait later this week.