The United Nations, led by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, is spearheading an effort to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestinian funding that would help the refugees living there. Despite these efforts, persuading its largest Western donors remains challenging.
The United States and the United Kingdom, key allies of Israel, continue to withhold financial support from UNRWA, the primary organization delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and other regions. While 14 of the 16 donor nations resumed funding after a suspension in January—triggered by Israeli accusations that UNRWA members participated in the October 7 Hamas-led attacks—the US and UK have maintained their financial block. These attacks resulted in over 1,100 deaths in southern Israel.
Previously, the US was the largest donor to UNRWA. However, Congress has banned any payments to the agency until March 25, 2025. An independent review in April found that Israel did not provide credible evidence to support its claims. A separate investigation into the October attacks is being conducted by the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services.
At a recent pledge conference in New York, Guterres emphasized the severe funding shortfall facing UNRWA. He warned that without financial support, “Palestinian refugees will lose a critical lifeline and the last ray of hope for a better future.” Guterres stressed that “there is no alternative to UNRWA,” highlighting the dire situation for Palestinians forced to move due to Israeli evacuation orders.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini expressed gratitude to the 118 countries that committed to supporting the agency amidst “unprecedented attacks and systematic attempts to dismantle it.” Lazzarini remains hopeful that the UK, now under a new Labour government, will soon resume its financial support. He noted that the organization has secured funding until September, with the total pledges to be confirmed next week.
Lazzarini also pointed out the severe impact on 600,000 Palestinian children of primary and secondary school age, who are living in trauma and need UNRWA’s help to restart their education.
The initiative to support UNRWA was led by Slovenia, Jordan, and Kuwait, with backing from all 15 members of the UN Security Council. Hassan Barari, a professor at Qatar University, told Al Jazeera that Israel’s efforts to defund UNRWA aim to weaken support for Palestinian refugees and remove the refugee issue from future negotiations. Lex Takkenberg, former head of UNRWA’s ethics office, praised the agency for its adherence to humanitarian principles, despite Israel’s unfounded claims and ongoing raids against UNRWA facilities.
As the investigation continues, the UN faces the challenge of bridging the Palestinian funding gap to ensure that UNRWA can continue its vital work supporting Palestinian refugees amid ongoing conflict and instability.
