Finland has joined the US and Sweden in halting donations to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), citing allegations of ties to the terrorist rulers of Gaza. The decision follows an investigation into UNRWA's ties to Hamas, with USAID Office of Inspector General finding 108 staff members to be referred for suspension or exclusion from work with US-funded organizations. Finland will cease funding UNRWA by the end of 2026, although officials have not specified what prompted the change in policy. The move comes as the Board of Peace seeks to replace UNRWA with trusted partners for aid delivery in Gaza.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Another European nation has stopped funding the U.N. agency that aids the Palestinians.
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that → stop → Palestinians
Finland has followed the U.S. and Sweden in halting donations to the terror-tainted agency.
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Finland → follow → agency
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), is presently being investigated for ties to the terrorist rulers of Gaza.
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Agency → investigate → Gaza
Recently, organizations including the USAID Office of Inspector General (OIG) and NGO UN Watch have uncovered further evidence of what they allege is Hamas infiltration of UNRWA and its members’ participation in the Oct. 7, 2023 terror attacks in southern Israel.
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they → include → Israel
Finland announced it would discontinue funding to the organization at the end of 2026.
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it → announce → 2026
Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs confirmed to Fox News Digital that the agreement with UNRWA would conclude at the end of 2026 but that "As of yet, no decision has been made on what are the international partners through which Finland’s support will be channeled next year to meet the acute needs in the region."
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support → confirm → region
Finnish officials did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about what prompted the change to the country’s funding for UNRWA.
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what → respond → UNRWA
While other nations still continue to fund UNRWA, President Donald Trump fully banned funding to the organization in February 2025 and Sweden ended funding to UNRWA in December 2024.
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Sweden → continue → December
Sweden redirected aid to other U.N. bodies for its Gaza response.
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Sweden → redirect → response
The future of aid provision in Gaza matters for the Trump administration-backed Board of Peace as it seeks to shape a conflict-free future for the region.
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it → matter → region
An official affiliated with the Board of Peace reconstruction effort told Fox News Digital that "the international community’s concern about UNRWA in Gaza continues to rise and is supported by damning evidence.
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concern → affiliate → evidence
The Board of Peace has been clear: New Gaza will be both demilitarized and deradicalized, and we will only be working with trusted, credible delivery partners to achieve our goals.
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we → demilitarize → goals
We anticipate responsibly replacing UNRWA with vetted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza.
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who → anticipate → Gaza
The USAID OIG is investigating about 1,500 members of UNRWA for terror participation, and has referred 108 UNRWA staff to the State Department to suggest they be suspended or excluded from further work with organizations in receipt of U.S. funds.
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they → investigate → funds
A senior U.S. official briefed on USAID OIG’s ongoing investigation told Fox News Digital that the USAID OIG’s "independent findings are prompting several other countries to reassess the stale and conventional thinking that UNRWA is the best and only option to provide aid to civilians in Gaza."
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UNRWA → brief → Gaza
The official said that the USAID OIG’s "findings also will prevent Hamas and October 7 affiliated staff from circulating across future, more responsible, aid organizations operating in Gaza."
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findings → say → Gaza
UN Watch’s Terror Network report claims that about 12% of UNRWA staff in Gaza are members of terror organizations, based on "cross-checking UNRWA employee rosters with Hamas records seized by the [Israel Defense Forces.]"
Executive director of UN Watch Hillel Neuer told Fox News Digital that "Finland’s principled decision to defund terror-infested UNRWA will not deprive Palestinians of aid, as it will be redirected through genuine humanitarian agencies such as the World Food Programme that are not systemically infiltrated by Hamas."
He said that "other democracies should follow" the examples of Finland, Sweden, and the U.S.
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democracies → claim → Finland
"Contrary to what UNRWA supporters claim, the agency is not ‘indispensable’ — assistance can and must be delivered through responsible alternatives."
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assistance → claim → alternatives
Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, told Fox News Digital that "UNRWA has taken note of the announcement, and they are grateful to Finland for the disbursement of the 2023–2026 funds under the multi-year agreement.
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they → tell → agreement
UNRWA looks forward to continuing our discussions with the government."
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UNRWA → look → government
He explained that "the Secretary-General continues to encourage member states to support UNRWA's vital work."
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General → explain → work
Finland's four-year funding was around $23.23 to UNRWA and will now end after this year.
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funding → end → year
UNRWA did not respond to Fox News Digital questions about Finland’s decision.
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UNRWA → respond → decision
Neuer said "defunding UNRWA is a prerequisite for deradicalization, the first step in the Gaza peace plan.
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defunding → say → plan
Far from harming the prospects for peace, dismantling UNRWA is essential to achieving it.
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dismantling → harm → it
For decades, the agency has perpetuated the conflict by teaching generations of Palestinians that their future lies not in building their own society, but in a so-called ‘right of return’ that would eliminate Israel."
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that → perpetuate → Israel
He concluded by noting that USAID OIG and UN Watch’s exposes on UNRWA prove that "the agency is unreformable.
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agency → conclude → UNRWA
Nations that genuinely want peace should stop financing this machinery of hate, and invest instead in humanitarian relief, deradicalization and Palestinian self-reliance."
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that → want → relief
