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Operates primarily on voluntary donations since its founding in the late 1940s, UNRWA continues to provide life-saving and essential services in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, from school programs to polio vaccines, and the UN Secretary General called it a “lifeline” for Palestinians.
However, the U.N Secretary General Antonio Guterres raises sharp concerns on Tuesday regarding the agency’s cash shortfall, which he said “has huge implications for the entire region.”
“UNRWA is a stabilizing force in an era of instability, registering, protecting and assisting highly vulnerable populations and fighting the hopelessness that can fuel insecurity.he said.
Nominal ceasefire
The pendulum promise followed a Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023 that left 1,200 people dead and 250 hostage, followed by an Israeli offensive that reduced much of Gaza to rubble, displaced 80 percent of its population and killed at least 70,000 people, according to local authorities.
Since 2023, attacks on UNRWA have left around 390 staff dead and UN property bombed, attacking critical services such as schools and hospitals as well as disinformation movements, with accusations in early 2024 that some of the agency’s staff were involved in attacks against Israel.
Although the allegations were independently investigated and countries, except the United States, have unfrozen their frozen funds as private donations have increased, there remains a $100 million gap.
Unkept promises
Every year, member states gather to pledge their support for the body, but what is promised does not always match what is expected, making it difficult to implement and forcing the body to scale back what it is mandated to do.
For example, in 2025, the pledge is $878 millionhowever UNRWA received only $839 million, a pattern also seen in 2024.
“They cannot continue like this without urgent support and financial backing from Member States,” Guterres said, adding that the liquidity crisis also jeopardizes UNWRA’s ability to implement its mandate, given by the General Assembly and renewed six months ago with overwhelming support from Member States.
The UN Secretary General was shocked by the smear campaign
Appalled by persistent attempts to marginalize or tarnish UNRWA’s important work with diplomatic obstruction and smear campaigns, the UN Secretary General said “UNRWA has taken firm steps to ensure the house is in good condition.”
That’s included already implemented more than 40 recommendations from Colonna’s 2024 independent report, he said.
“I am counting on you to continue to speak for the agency,” he said, urging them to also pledge support for UNRWA’s important work.
The second phase of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza started on October 14, 2024 from the central region.
‘Essential platform for recovery’
At the same time, UNRWA’s work remains unchanged, although funding shortfalls mean reduced service delivery and other cost-saving efforts.
It is true that needs have increased since the war and the recovery period, with most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents still living in shelters and tents as they face food insecurity and a lack of essential services.
Currently, with a stalled ceasefire in Gaza lasting up to eight months, nearly 1.7 million people remain dependent on UNRWA, which operates like a civil service, said Christian Saunders, the agency’s acting Commissioner General.
“UNRWA is an important platform for recovery, institutional stability and lasting peace,” he said, underscoring that its capacity was “critical” to:
- Executive Security Council resolution 2803 (2025) which recognizes the Hamas-Israel ceasefire in Gaza and [President Donald] Trump’s Declaration for Lasting Peace and Prosperity
- President Trump’s Peace Council Efforts
- International committee for the administration of Gaza
Among the UN’s first aid agencies
Founded by the General Assembly in 1948, UNRWA was never intended to be permanent, but relied on the idea of establishing a Palestinian State alongside Israel.
Nearly eight decades later, This UN agency continues to provide life-changing services such as access to clean water, education, health services and hope, the UN President of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock told Member States gathered at the conference promised.
“The existence of a Palestinian State means that UNRWA is no longer needed,” he said. “Until that day comes, never stop working for it two-state solution and never stop supporting UNRWA.”
What exactly does UNRWA do?
Click the link below to learn more about this UN agency’s important work in the occupied Palestinian territories from 1949 to the present:
