Washington and European countries announced the immediate cessation of funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), following Israeli allegations that Gazan employees of the agency participated in the October 7 attack.
The European Union revealed a similar measure, which portends an additional humanitarian catastrophe that may exacerbate the crises of the Gazans.
Media: The Swedish government decided to suspend funding for UNRWA
Swedish media said that Stockholm will suspend funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) after several countries suspended its funding due to allegations that some of its employees participated in the October 7 attack.
The media quoted Swedish Minister of International Cooperation, Development and Foreign Trade, Johan Forssell, as saying: “The funds will instead be directed to other humanitarian organizations.”
The minister added, "Aid should go to serious actors and should never come close to terrorism."
The Minister stated that the value of the financing amounts to approximately 31 million Swedish krona (approximately 3 million dollars).
“It is a very good decision in light of the very serious information that has come to light in recent days,” Johan Forssell said.
Swedish media reported that the aid agency Sida decided on Friday not to make further payments to UNRWA due to allegations that some of its employees participated in the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
Major countries donors to UNRWA , led by the United States, announced the suspension of their funding in the wake of Israeli allegations that employees of the United Nations agency were involved in the attack launched by Hamas on Israel on October 7.
A European project to transport the "fuel of the future" to Germany and Poland
Poland, Finland, Germany and the Baltic states are considering building a hydrogen pipeline, according to Polish gas company Gaz-System.
This January, the Polish company signed an agreement with gas transmission system operators in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to conduct a preliminary study of the feasibility of a project to lay a pipeline to transport hydrogen.
The company said that the project includes "building infrastructure across the borders of several countries to transport hydrogen from Finland via Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to consumers in Germany and Poland."
The project aims to "create a link between the regions of Northern Europe, where there is great potential for hydrogen production, and the main centers of its use in Central Europe."
Hydrogen is mainly produced from fossil fuels by steam reforming of natural gas, and the partial oxidation of methane and coal.
Green hydrogen, which is described as the “fuel of the future,” can be used as fuel through hydrogen fuel cells, to operate vehicles, generate electricity, and heat buildings, by converting the chemical energy of hydrogen into mechanical energy.