During a phone call with Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed current developments in the Middle East region and ways to support the agency in performing its tasks.

The Emirates News Agency said that the two sides discussed during the call "the necessity of ensuring that humanitarian, relief and medical aid reaches the brotherly Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip urgently, intensively, safely and without any obstacles, preventing further loss of life, and avoiding inflaming the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory."

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed stressed "the UAE's firm support for UNRWA and the importance of the role played by the agency in delivering humanitarian aid and supporting Palestinian refugees."

He stressed that "the role of UNRWA is vital in light of the current circumstances that the brotherly Palestinian people are going through, especially in the Gaza Strip, and that there are two million people in dire need of the assistance provided by UNRWA and other United Nations agencies."

He praised UNRWA's urgent move to investigate the allegations made against a number of individuals, pointing out the importance of this matter not having negative repercussions and effects on the course of the agency's humanitarian efforts and the vital and urgent services it provides to Palestinian refugees, especially since the agency has taken upon itself the responsibility of expediting the investigation.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed called on donor countries that suspended their funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees to urgently reconsider this decision and to continue providing support to the agency to perform its humanitarian tasks.