UN secretary-general urges support for Unrwa as he accepts Colonna report recommendations

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged international backing for Unrwa as he said he would accept the recommendations of the Colonna report.

"He has agreed with Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini that Unrwa, with the secretary-general’s support, will establish an action plan to implement the recommendations," UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

"Moving forward, the secretary-general appeals to all stakeholders to actively support Unrwa, as it is a lifeline for Palestine refugees in the region."

The Colonna report was commissioned by the UN to look at Unrwa's operations and policies in the wake of Israel's allegations that its staff were involved in the 7 October attack.

The report, which will be released on Monday, found that the Israeli government "has not informed Unrwa of any concrete concerns relating to Unrwa staff since 2011".