Sweden resumes funding for UNRWA with £15m grant

Sweden has said it is resuming suspended payments to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), with a grant of 200 million crowns (£15m), Azernews reports.

UNRWA supports Palestinian refugees in Gaza, east Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

Several countries, including the US and UK, paused their funding to UNRWA last month after accusations by Israel that a dozen of the agency's 13,000 staff in Gaza took part in the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel.

The Swedish government said it had resumed payments after UNRWA agreed to strengthen internal controls and carry out extra checks on its employees, among other measures.

The organisation offers services including food aid, healthcare and education.