In a statement Saturday, the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas condemned Israel’s “threats and blackmail” against the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA), CNN reported.

Hamas also condemned the UN agency’s decision to release staff from the Gaza Strip and demanded an “independent investigation” into Israel’s accusations of involvement in the October 7 attack.

The movement, which has been in power in the Gaza Strip since 2007, has condemned accusations of “collusion” by the World Health Organization (WHO) with Hamas, made by Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan.

She rejects these accusations as “nonsense”.

In this statement, Hamas emphasizes the importance of UNRWA and WHO in providing humanitarian aid to the enclave, which is under Israeli siege.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) also demanded on Saturday that countries that suspended UNRWA funding “immediately withdraw their decision”.

The United States, Canada, Australia, Italy, Finland and the United Kingdom have suspended funding to UNRWA following accusations that 12 members of the UN agency were involved in a Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7.

“We call on countries that have announced the end of support to UNRWA to immediately withdraw their decision,” OEP Secretary-General Hussein Al-Sheikh urged in a statement.

“Given the ongoing conflict and aggression against the Palestinian people,” this decision to suspend UNRWA funding “implies great political and aid risks,” Al-Sheikh stressed.

“This organization must be supported, but not hindered from its support and assistance from the international community,” he insists.

The PLO is the internationally recognized representative body of the Palestinian people.