UN chief says UNRWA’s mandate and operations face critical threat

Speaking during the UN’s High-Level Week in New York, Secretary-General Guterres highlighted that UNRWA operates under extreme strain, with almost 400 of its Gaza staff killed and numerous facilities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory rendered unusable. He described Israel’s recent legislation and the demolition of UNRWA’s main compound in Jerusalem as breaches of the UN Charter and Security Council Resolution 2730.

The agency has been excluded from humanitarian coordination meetings, denied staff visas, and its personnel face intimidation. A financial gap of US$100 million further threatens its capacity to aid millions of Palestinian refugees. Guterres urged member states to act swiftly, warning that regional stability and the two-state solution are at risk if UNRWA’s work collapses.