A funding crisis looms for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after several donor countries, including Sweden, have suspended contributions in response to allegations that some UNRWA staff in Gaza colluded with Hamas.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, warned that the cessation of aid could have catastrophic consequences, emphasizing the improbability of quickly finding an alternative to UNRWA's crucial services.

UNRWA is on the brink of a shutdown by the end of February without new donations, as stated by Gaza's UNRWA director Thomas White, who highlighted the dire choices ahead about who will receive life-saving aid.

UNRWA, established in 1949, currently assists about 5.9 million Palestinian refugees, with the largest operation in Gaza, where it provides essential services like clean water, education, and healthcare.

With the agency's funds drying up and 440 million dollars at stake, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA's Commissioner-General, is seeking additional aid to sustain the largest aid operation in Gaza.

Columnists warn of potential mass starvation and urge donor nations to reconsider their funding pause to prevent a humanitarian disaster.