Qatar’s ambassador to the UN, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, tells the General Assembly that the additional funds are to help meet the emergency needs that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees is currently facing, “especially in light of the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip”.

She said Qatar condemns “the systematic targeting campaign aimed at dismantling UNRWA and expresses its regret over the suspension of some donor countries’ funding allocated to the agency”.

The ambassador stressed that there is no alternative to UNRWA, on which five million Palestinians depend, especially in light of the catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the besieged coastal enclave.

Qatar also said it urges countries that have suspended their support for the agency to review their decision and resume their funding, Al Jazeera reports.