[Funding Shortage Worsens, UNRWA May Lay Off Staff] Christian Sanders, acting head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), warned that the agency faces a $250 million budget shortfall this year and may have to lay off staff if it cannot secure timely funding. Speaking to a UN General Assembly committee yesterday, Sanders said he would have to apply for an emergency loan to ensure continued staff payments until December. He stated that the agency is currently providing assistance to approximately 1.7 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
