The United Nations agency operates in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, providing aid, schooling, healthcare, social services and shelter to 2.6 million Palestinians. The U.S. was UNRWA’s biggest donor, but cut funding in January 2024 after Israel accused about a dozen UNRWA staff of taking part in the deadly October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants that triggered the war in Gaza. Sweden also cut its 2025 funding. Other big donors paused funding for UNRWA while the Hamas charges were investigated, but most have resumed their contributions.
Guterres said the agency’s liquidity crisis jeopardized its ability to meet its mandate, which was renewed by the General Assembly six months ago with overwhelming member support. ”They cannot keep going like this without urgent backing and financial support from member states,” Guterres said, noting that the agency had taken decisive steps to implement reforms and update its policy on outside and political activities following Israel’s accusations.
”UNRWA is a stabilizing force in an age of instability,” he said, rejecting what he called continued efforts to undermine the agency through ”disinformation, smear campaigns, legislative actions, operational restrictions, diplomatic roadblocks and more.”
Such actions threatened the well-being of millions of Palestinians as well as UNRWA staff, Guterres said, noting that 390 UNRWA staff had been killed in Gaza since October 2023. He noted that 1,000 Palestinians had been killed in Israeli attacks since a ceasefire announced in October.
Source: Reuters
The post UN chief says UN agency for Palestinian refugees nearing ’breaking point’ appeared first on Vastuullisuusuutiset.fi.