A Midlands MP has called for the government to continue funding a United Nations agency working in Gaza.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Diplomatic Office confirmed it had halted support to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA) amid reports workers had been linked to the Hamas attacks on Israel last year.
It follows the decision by Italy, Finland and the US to pause funding over the weekend.
But the Labour MP for Coventry South, Zarah Sultana, said the government should reinstate the support.
“Defunding UNRWA – the primary aid agency in Gaza, upon whom the lives of millions depend, is an act of collective punishment, which will lead to even more starvation,” she said.
However, this has led to many users of X, formerly Twitter, to criticise the MP.
One user said: “Zarah Sultana, Labour MP for Palestine, clearly not bothered about evidence the UNRWA is allegedly infested with Hamas terrorists.”
Another said that such views would see Labour “lose the next election”.
The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food said that famine would be inevitable if the UNRWA could not continue its work
Other countries, such as Norway, have decided they will continue backing the organisation.
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said the funding had been temporarily paused: “The UK is appalled by allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7th October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK government has repeatedly condemned.
“The UK is temporarily pausing any future funding of UNRWA whilst we review these concerning allegations.
“We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it.