NEW YORK, June 30, 2026 (WAFA) – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stressed the importance of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), saying the safety and welfare of millions of Palestine refugees, especially in Gaza, hangs in the balance, and emphasizing that supporting UNRWA is the international community's responsibility toward Palestine refugees.
Speaking on Tuesday before the General Assembly Committee convened for the announcement of voluntary contributions to UNRWA, Guterres said living conditions in the Gaza Strip are utterly appalling, with people living amid unexploded ordnance, open sewers, rodent infestations, disease outbreaks, soaring temperatures, and widespread displacement.
He said families struggle to access safety, shelter, food, clean drinking water, education, and healthcare, while many are still sleeping out in the open or going to bed hungry.
Regarding the occupied West Bank, Guterres said Palestinians face relentless violence by colonists and settlement expansion, along with home demolitions, land confiscation, displacement orders, movement and access restrictions, and the growing threat of annexation, which would blatantly violate international law.
He said the Agency faces sweeping restrictions throughout the occupied Palestinian Territory and a cash shortfall that imperils its work across the region. “Despite painful austerity and cost-control measures, a deficit of 100 million US dollars prevents the Agency from meeting its current obligations,” he said.
The UN chief stressed that UNRWA's mandate was given by the General Assembly and renewed six months ago with overwhelming Member State support. He said the mandate enables the provision of critical services to 2.6 million people in need, reflecting the international community's continuing responsibility toward Palestine refugees.
Guterres warned that the cash shortfall has grave implications for the entire region, stressing that UNRWA is a stabilizing force in an age of instability.
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