The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is a vital lifeline for millions of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. It provides education, health care, food, and shelter to those who have been displaced by decades of conflict and occupation. But in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, UNRWA has become a target of Israeli aggression and false accusations.
Since the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023, Israel has launched a massive bombing campaign that has killed well over 20,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including more than 10,000 children, and injured tens of thousands more. The war has also destroyed thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure, leaving 2 million Gazans in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.
UNRWA has been on the frontlines of this crisis, delivering aid and protection to the most vulnerable populations in Gaza. However, it has also faced unprecedented challenges and dangers. On 13 November 2023, an Israeli naval strike hit one of UNRWA’s premises in Rafah, causing significant damage. On 29 January 2024, Israel released a dossier alleging that 12 UNRWA staff members were involved in terrorist activities, and accused the agency of supporting terrorism. As a result, several western countries, including the US and the UK, suspended their funding to UNRWA, threatening its ability to continue its operations.
These allegations are baseless and unfounded. UNRWA has a strict policy of neutrality and impartiality, and does not tolerate any involvement of its staff in political or military activities. The agency has dismissed nine of the accused staff members, and is cooperating with the UN investigation into the matter. UNRWA’s commissioner-general, Philippe Lazzarini, has called the allegations “a smear campaign” and “an attempt to delegitimize the agency and undermine its humanitarian mission”.
UNRWA is not a terrorist organization. It is a humanitarian organization that enshrines the rights and dignity of Palestinian refugees. It is also a stabilizing force that contributes to peace and security in the region. Without UNRWA, the situation in Gaza would be much worse, and the prospects for a lasting solution would be further diminished.
The war on Gaza must end today. The international community must act urgently to stop the bloodshed and the suffering of the innocent civilians. It must also support UNRWA and restore its funding, so that it can continue to provide vital services and hope to the Palestinian refugees. UNRWA is not the problem. It is part of the solution.
Mahboob Azam 