The UK government has announced it will restore funding to UNRWA, the UN aid organisation in Gaza.

A number of countries withdrew support for the group after Israel claimed 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7 attacks, despite little or no evidence having been provided for the allegation.

The staff were immediately terminated by the organisation.

French foreign minister Catherine Colonna carried out a review in the wake of the allegations, published in April, which said: "Israeli authorities have to date not provided any supporting evidence nor responded to letters from Unrwa in March, and again in April, requesting the names and supporting evidence that would enable UNRWA to open an investigation".

UNRWA has since acted on recommendations made in the report, including setting out management reforms.

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On Friday, foreign secretary David Lammy announced that the UK would follow Germany, the EU, Sweden, Japan, France and others in restoring funding.

Mr Lammy said the UK will release £21 million to support the organisation's  work in Gaza and the provision of basic services in the region. 

The funding will go towards UNRWA’s flash appeal for Gaza and the West Bank, which focuses its resources on emergency food, shelter and other support for 3 million people, as well as its wider work supporting 6 million Palestinian refugees across the region. 

The foreign secretary said: "Humanitarian aid is a moral necessity in the face of such a catastrophe and it is aid agencies who ensure UK support reaches civilians on the ground.

"UNRWA is absolutely central to these efforts. No other agency can get aid into Gaza at the scale needed.

"I was appalled by the allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7th October attacks. We are reassured that after Catherine Colonna’s independent review, UNRWA is ensuring they meet the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures, including on vetting

"UNRWA has acted. Partners like Japan, the EU and Norway have now acted. This Government will act too."

The United States, which provided 87% of UNRWA's funding, also withdrew support and is yet to restore it.

The US and UK were this week described as "shameful outliers" by Human Rights Watch for failing to resume funding.

Crisis advocacy director Akshaya Kumar said: "Cutting off aid was disproportionate to the allegations against UNRWA from the start.

"Palestinians in Gaza are facing catastrophic food insecurity, massive shortages of medical supplies, and repeated displacement, and there’s no substitute for UNRWA’s networks, experience, and capacity to provide relief.”

Development Minister Anneliese Dodds said: "The situation in Gaza is intolerable and unacceptable and urgent action is needed to alleviate the suffering of civilians there. 

"UNRWA is the only agency that can deliver lifesaving humanitarian aid at the scale needed. But it can only operate effectively if it has access to the whole of Gaza and it is safe for UNRWA staff to work there.  

"That’s why we are calling for unfettered access for humanitarian organisations alongside an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians, the release of all hostages and a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution."

Tim Bierley, campaigner at Global Justice Now said: "Restoring funding to UNRWA is welcome and long overdue. But while the UK is giving aid with one hand, it continues to send weapons used in the ongoing killing of civilians with the other.

"Labour has had more than enough time to review the evidence: the UK must ban all arms sales to Israel with immediate effect."

UNRWA has been contacted for comment.