During a meeting at the UN Security Council, Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner General of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees, reiterated the importance of keeping his organization operational. He warned that dissolving UNRWA would mean millions of Palestinians losing their refugee status and exacerbating hunger in the Gaza Strip. Lazzarini emphasized that this move would hinder the transition from ceasefire to reconstruction and rehabilitation of the area.
The Commissioner General highlighted the consequences of closing UNRWA, stating that it would prevent half a million children from returning to school and condemn an entire generation to despair. The meeting, initiated by Jordan, began with a moment of silence in memory of the 178 UNRWA employees who died in Gaza.
Israel has accused UNRWA of complicity in Hamas’s crimes, but it also acknowledges that the agency is the only one equipped with the infrastructure and personnel to provide essential humanitarian aid to Gaza residents. The debate about the future of UNRWA continues to be a contentious issue with far-reaching implications for the Palestinian refugee population and the region as a whole.
