Without the necessary support and financing from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Palestine Refugees will lose a critical lifeline and the last ray of hope for a better future, warned the Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres in his remarks at UNRWA Pledging Conference today.
“Women and men of UNRWA have bravely continued their work in whatever way they can. They are the backbone of humanitarian operations in Gaza. Let me be clear: there is no alternative to UNRWA,” he emphasized.
“This year is different. Yes, we face a profound funding gap. But Palestinians are seeing widening gaps across the board. Gaps in respect for international humanitarian law. Gaps in the recognition of universal human rights and dignity for all. And, for Palestinians in Gaza, it’s not just a gap, but death, destruction, and a total breakdown in law and order. Yet Palestinians are enduring the deadliest period since the agency’s creation. As we are all painfully aware, the horror has not spared UNRWA colleagues. 195 UNRWA staff members have been killed, the highest staff death toll in UN history,” he noted.
“My appeal to everyone is this: Protect UNRWA, protect UNRWA staff, and protect UNRWA’s mandate, including through funding.”
“I urge you to act and act now. Act to instill hope in a place where it is in short supply. Act to uphold the mandate of this General Assembly to sustain UNRWA. Act in solidarity with Palestine refugees and all the Palestinian people,” he concluded.
Israel accuses UNRWA staff of having links with terrorism
The UN Secretary-General’s statement came after the Israeli government accused the UNRWA of having links to “terrorism.” However, they provided no evidence to support these claims.
In January, Israel accused UNRWA staff members of aiding and abetting the October 7 attack on Israel, which killed 1,139 people and captured an unknown number of people, believed to be more than 200.
According to the Colonna report, a comprehensive investigation into the alleged links between UNRWA staff and terrorism found no evidence to support Israel’s accusations.
The review, headed by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and sponsored by three Nordic research groups, reveals that Israel failed to back up its assertions regarding UNRWA staff belonging to Hamas’ armed wing or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The worldwide community’s reactions to these charges were divided. While some governments have supported UNRWA and challenged Israel’s narrative, others have halted financing, threatening critical aid to Palestinians in need.
The lack of evidence from Israel has not only stalled investigations but has also put UNRWA’s operations at risk, potentially leaving millions of Palestinians in a precarious situation.
With inputs from IANS
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