The UN Palestinian agency says it will be forced to stop humanitarian operations in Gaza in four weeks if key international backers do not restart funding.

“If the funding is not resumed, UNRWA will not be able to continue its services and operations across the region, including in Gaza, beyond the end of February,” a spokesman said. 

Romania and Austria are the latest countries to pause payments to the agency over Israeli allegations that some of its staff were involved in the 7 October Hamas attacks – joining the UK, Germany, the US, Australia, Canada and others. 

Antonio Guterres, the UN chief, said yesterday that nine of the 12 workers at the centre of the allegations had been fired, one was dead and the identities of two others were “being clarified”.

They are accused of participating in kibbutz massacres and hostage-taking, according to a New York Times report.