The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has accused Israeli authorities of severely restricting its operations in Gaza, a region where the agency serves as a vital lifeline. The targeting of UNRWA centers and staff has intensified, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the area.

Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA spokesperson, highlighted the constraints, stating, “The work of our agency in Gaza is being systematically obstructed, with most operational requests for northern and southern Gaza denied, despite repeated efforts and coordination through UN channels.” He added, “Israel has killed 254 of our employees and destroyed 70% of our centers, including schools and clinics, reflecting a deliberate targeting of our operations.”

The dire conditions in Gaza have overwhelmed UNRWA, which employs 13,000 permanent staff and 10,000 contractors. Nearly 90% of Gaza’s population now faces food insecurity, and infectious diseases such as hepatitis and respiratory infections are spreading rapidly due to unclean water, weakened immunity, and overcrowded shelters.

Abu Hasna also revealed that UNRWA faces a severe funding shortfall. "We announced a $1.2 billion emergency budget for 2025, but only 30% of that has been secured,” he said. The U.S., historically a major donor, is withholding its usual $350 million allocation for the first quarter of 2025, forcing the agency to appeal to other nations to advance payments to avoid service disruptions across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

On December 19, the UN General Assembly, supported by 137 countries, called for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on Israel's obligations to UN humanitarian operations in Palestinian territories. New Israeli laws, set to ban UNRWA from operating, are seen as undermining Palestinian refugees' rights, worsening humanitarian crises, and disrupting essential services like education and healthcare.

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