CAIRO, July 20, 2026 (WAFA) - Roland Friedrich, Director of UNRWA Affairs in the occupied West Bank and Acting Head of UNRWA's Representative Office in Cairo, said Palestinian refugees across the agency's five fields of operation continue to face immense humanitarian, social, and economic challenges while resources available to meet those needs are increasingly shrinking.

Friedrich stressed that sustained international support is essential to ensure the continuation of basic services and help preserve regional stability.

He highlighted the unprecedented and ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, alongside the continued deterioration of conditions in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, noting that UNRWA continues to provide humanitarian and development services despite ongoing restrictions, including the ban on the agency's activities in occupied East Jerusalem.

Friedrich said UNRWA is facing a cash shortfall exceeding $100 million in 2026, warning that the funding gap threatens the continuation of essential services for millions of Palestinian refugees and puts the agency's operations across its five fields of operation at risk.

M.N