The UN agency that supports Palestine refugees, UNRWA, is the only “outpost of hope” left in the hellscape that is Gaza, the UN Secretary-General told a high-level ministerial meeting on Thursday in New York.
The world has “failed the people of Gaza”, he said. More than 41,000 people have been killed since Israel’s offensive began in response to the Hamas-led terror attacks of 7 October. More than 90,000 Gazans have been wounded, the majority women and children.
“Two million Palestinians are now crammed into a space the size of the Shanghai International Airport, existing – not living, but existing – among lakes of sewage, piles of rubbish and mountains of rubble,” the UN chief said.
“The only certainty they have is that tomorrow will be worse.”
UNRWA’s sacrifice
Despite being the only beacon of hope, at least 222 UNRWA staff and many other family members have been killed, several while serving in shelters that came under fire – the highest death toll in UN history.
Apart from the repeated attacks on staff simply for doing the jobs, “the humanitarian response in Gaza is being strangled,” Mr. Guterres said.
“Protection and deconfliction mechanisms for humanitarian aid deliveries have failed. Attempts to evict UNRWA from its headquarters in East Jerusalem continue, and UNRWA has not been spared on the political level,” he added. “This includes systematic disinformation campaigns that discredit the agency’s lifelong work.”
He pointed to draft legislation making its way through Israel’s Knesset seeking to label UNRWA a terrorist organization, which would outlaw its operations on Israeli territory.
Confidence in UNRWA
“In the face of the catastrophic conditions, UNRWA perseveres,” the Secretary-General said, expressing his full confidence in the neutrality and impartiality of the organization following an independent review into alleged collusion of some staff in the 7 October massacres.
“Member States are showing that same confidence. Virtually all donors have reversed their funding suspensions, [and] 123 countries have signed up to the declaration on shared commitments to UNRWA.”
He said there is no alternative to the agency in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
“Now is the time to work on all fronts to intensify support for the agency’s vital mission – support with funding that is sufficient, predictable and flexible,” the UN chief concluded.
