Malaysia pledges extra US$1m to UNRWA

Malaysia has pledged an additional US$1 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine refugees in the Near East.

The Foreign Ministry announced this one-off contribution during the UNRWA Pledging Conference at the United Nations in New York on July 12.

“This brings Malaysia’s total contribution to UNRWA to US$5.2 million since November 2023, in addition to Malaysia’s five-year commitment of US$200,000 annually from 2021 to 2025.

“Malaysia is committed to supporting UNRWA and working closely with the UN and other stakeholders to continue to deliver life-saving humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people,” the statement read.

Through the Humanitarian Trust Fund for the People of Palestine, Malaysia has contributed to various humanitarian initiatives, including medical aid, food assistance, improved sanitation, water hygiene management, clean water supply, and upgrading medical facilities for Palestinians.

As of June 28 this year, Malaysia has received contributions totalling RM98,828,028.83.

Of this amount, RM34,992,378.10 has been channelled to various civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations, and international organisations such as the UN, it added.

Ceasefire now

The relief agency said the Gaza Strip is on the verge of losing an entire generation of children due to the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Strip since Oct 7 last year.

Palestine News and Info Agency (Wafa) reported that UNRWA Communications director Juliette Touma said in a post on X that more than 600,000 children in Gaza have not been able to go to school since the Israeli war began in October.

She pointed to the closure of a large number of schools and the transformation of UNRWA schools into shelters for internally displaced people.

"This means that if this war continues, we will face the risk of losing an entire generation of children."

She called for a ceasefire for the sake of children in Gaza.

- Bernama

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