Austria suspends payments to UN Palestinian agency - foreign ministry

Austria is suspending payments to the United Nations' Palestinian aid agency, UNRWA, pending a full investigation into accusations that its employees were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the Austrian foreign ministry said on Monday.

"We call on UNRWA and the United Nations to conduct a comprehensive, swift and complete investigation into the allegations," the ministry said in a statement.

Austria joins Britain, Germany, the United States, Australia and Canada, among others, in pausing funding to the aid agency, a critical source of support for people in Gaza. (Writing by Rachel More, editing by Ed Osmond)