UNRWA Funding Shortfall Threatens Gaza Stability, Warns Chief

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, briefs the Fourth Committee of the General Assembly.

Lack of sufficient funds is jeopardising the ability of the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) to operate, the head of the agency said on Thursday.

Speaking to the General Assembly, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini argued that the agency is indispensable for the stability and rebuilding of the shattered Gaza Strip — and the wider region.

He underlined that a “virulent” disinformation campaign has tarnished its reputation and strangled its funds.

“Curtailing or ending UNRWA’s services will have grave consequences for the region,” warned Lazzarini. “In Gaza, it would undermine stabilisation and recovery, jeopardising a political path forward.”

Guarding against radicalisation

UNRWA has been operating since 1950, providing basic services, protection, and humanitarian assistance to Palestine refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.

In 2024, the agency provided emergency food assistance to approximately 1.9 million Palestinians in Gaza. It also delivers 40 per cent of all primary healthcare and conducts in-person learning for over 50,000 children.

“We have succeeded in educating generations of Palestinians who are thriving global citizens, enriching communities across the region and beyond, in Europe and North America,” Lazzarini said.

Briefing journalists in New York later, he added, “If rubble and trauma become the new learning environment, there is indeed a risk that these children may be exploited and join armed groups or be radicalised in the future.”

Fears of instability as funding slumps

The agency has faced scrutiny over Israeli allegations that UNRWA staff were involved in the 7 October attacks, and the United States, traditionally the agency’s largest donor, halted all funding in 2023.

The working group on Palestine raised concerns in the General Assembly about the agency’s massive underfunding and its potential destabilising impact on the wider region, saying, “It’s imperative that UNRWA, as an indispensable agency, continues to receive the necessary support to resolve its financial crisis and contribute to alleviating the catastrophic situation in Gaza.”

Ambassador Feda Abdelhady, Deputy Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the UN, described the agency as “indispensable and irreplaceable.”

“We urge all states to remain steadfast and principled in their support of UNRWA, with due recognition of its vital role.”