Washington DC - Amidst Israel's ongoing bombardment and blockade of Gaza, the Biden administration announced that it is cutting off additional funding to a United Nations agency providing critical humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees.

The Biden administration said on Friday it will block further funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

The decision came after Israel alleged that 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack. The UN has vowed to undertake an "urgent and comprehensive independent review of UNRWA."

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the US is "extremely troubled by the allegations" and has "temporarily paused additional funding for UNRWA while we review these allegations and the steps the United Nations is taking to address them."

Joke of the Day Joke of the Night for December 11, 2024: The best jokes to laugh the day away

Over more than 100 days, Israeli forces have waged an unrelenting bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza that has killed over 26,000 people and displaced millions more. Israel has also blocked food, water, medical supplies, and other aid from entering Gaza as trapped Palestinians face a very real threat of starvation.

"UNRWA plays a critical role in providing lifesaving assistance to Palestinians, including essential food, medicine, shelter, and other vital humanitarian support. Their work has saved lives," Miller acknowledged in his statement.

The same day that the Biden administration shared the news, the International Court of Justice ruled in favor of provisional measures to protect Palestinian lives in Gaza in a landmark case launched by South Africa. The panel of judges determined that at least some of Israel's military actions could potentially stand in violation of the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Also on Friday, a federal court in Oakland heard testimony in a lawsuit accusing President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin of complicity in Israel's genocide.