Germany to resume cooperation with Palestinian UNRWA agency

(Corrects to say Colonna's investigation was into UNRWA's neutrality, not into whether its staff took part in attacks)

BERLIN (Reuters) - The German government plans to resume cooperation with the UN agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) in Gaza, the foreign and development ministries said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

The decision follows an review by the former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna into UNRWA’s ability to ensure neutrality and respond to any breaches after Israel’s allegations that 12 of its staff took part in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks.

A separate UN probe is investigating the Israeli claims.

The Colonna-led review of the agency's neutrality on Monday concluded Israel had yet to back up its accusations that hundreds of UNRWA staff were operatives in Gaza terrorist groups.

The German ministries urged UNRWA to swiftly implement the report's recommendations, including strengthening its internal audit function and improving external oversight of project management.

"In support of these reforms, the German government will soon continue its cooperation with UNRWA in Gaza, as Australia, Canada, Sweden and Japan, among others, have already done," said the ministries in the statement.

(This story has been corrected to say Colona's investigation was into UNRWA's neutrality, not into whether its staff took part in attacks, in paragraph 2)

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Andrey Sychev; Editing by Miranda Murray and Rachel More)