United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asserted the irreplaceable role of the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), which 118 countries also deemed essential, amidst intensified efforts by Israel to dismantle it.
UNRWA delivers education, healthcare, and assistance to millions of Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
Since the conflict began nine months ago between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, U.N. officials have maintained that UNRWA is central to aid operations.
Guterres emphasized the importance of protecting UNRWA and its mandate at a conference in New York, stating, “There is no alternative to UNRWA.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has advocated for dismantling UNRWA, accusing it of anti-Israeli incitement, and Israel’s parliament is considering labeling UNRWA as a terrorist organization.
Funding to UNRWA was halted by several countries after Israel accused some agency staff of involvement in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Most donors have since resumed funding, while the U.N. investigates internally.
During the Gaza conflict, 195 UNRWA staff have been killed. Guterres noted that UNRWA faces other challenges, including violent protests, misinformation campaigns, and reported mistreatment of detained staff by Israeli security forces.
The Israeli military states that detainees receive food, water, medication, and proper clothing in accordance with Israeli and international law. Israel accuses UNRWA of being complicit with Hamas, claiming the group is embedded within the agency’s infrastructure.
The Funding was established by the U.N. General Assembly in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war.
Ahead of a pledging event, Jordanian U.N. Ambassador Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud announced that 118 countries had signed a joint statement in support of UNRWA and its mission.
Since October 7, 2023, Gaza has endured a devastating toll from ongoing aggression by occupation forces, with the death toll now reaching 38,584 and 88,881 wounded, according to medical sources.
