European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned on Sunday that moves to suspend the funding of UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA were extremely ill-advised, AFP reports.

“Defunding UNRWA would be both disproportionate and dangerous,” Borrell said of the agency which is embroiled in controversy over the alleged involvement of employees in the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel.

“While some important donors suspended funding, there is a wide recognition that UNRWA is central to providing vital aid to more than 1.1 million people in Gaza suffering from catastrophic hunger and the outbreak of diseases.”

“Defunding the agency would put hundreds of thousands of lives at risk,” Borrell said, adding that suspended total funds currently amount to “more than $440 million, or around half the agency’s expected funds for 2024.”