The European Commission emphasised that it was maintaining its funding of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, while reviewing arrangements in light of the Israeli allegation that its staff took part in the October 7 Hamas attacks.

According to AFP, the commission said it was releasing 50 million euros ($54 million) to the UN agency next week with a further 32m euros to follow later.

On Friday a spokesman for the UN humanitarian office OCHA said that “if something doesn’t change, a famine is almost inevitable” in the besieged territory.