INTERNATIONAL – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued an urgent appeal for additional financial support for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), warning that millions of Palestinians could face severe consequences if the agency’s funding crisis continues. According to Al Jazeera, UNRWA is struggling with a funding gap of around $100 million, leaving its humanitarian operations increasingly vulnerable at a time when the need for assistance remains immense. The agency provides education, healthcare, emergency aid, and social services to approximately 2.6 million Palestinian refugees living in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
Speaking at a donor conference, Guterres stressed the seriousness of the situation by declaring, “As we meet here today, the safety and welfare of millions of Palestine refugees hangs in the balance.” He described conditions in Gaza as “utterly appalling” and pointed to ongoing violence in the occupied West Bank as well as continued instability affecting Palestinian refugees in neighboring Lebanon. Guterres also warned that UNRWA faces “sweeping restrictions throughout the occupied Palestinian territory” alongside a financial crisis that threatens its ability to continue operating effectively.
Read More: US Senate Defies Trump With Vote to End Iran Conflict
The financial difficulties stem partly from donor suspensions that followed Israeli allegations in 2024 claiming several UNRWA employees participated in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack. While UN investigations found evidence suggesting possible involvement by only a small number of staff members and reforms have since been introduced, the agency has yet to recover financially. UNRWA has already reduced operating hours, cut spending, and delayed hiring in an effort to stretch its limited resources.
Guterres urged member states to move beyond political expressions of support and provide immediate financial assistance. “They cannot keep going like this without urgent backing and financial support from member states,” he said. Rejecting attempts to weaken the agency, he added that UNRWA remains “a stabilising force in an age of instability,” while condemning what he described as “disinformation, smear campaigns, legislative actions, operational restrictions, diplomatic roadblocks and more.” The secretary-general emphasized that preserving UNRWA is essential not only for humanitarian relief but also for maintaining regional stability, making the agency’s future a matter of international urgency rather than simply financial necessity.
