On World Refugee Day, the UN agency tasked with supporting Palestinian refugees renewed its commitment to serve communities under siege, even as displacement in Gaza and the West Bank reaches devastating levels.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) declared it will continue delivering aid to Palestinians “despite all circumstances,” as nearly 2 million people in Gaza have been uprooted since the war began in October 2023. Entire neighbourhoods lie in ruins, and shelters are overwhelmed, with many forced to live in makeshift tents or open fields.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini stressed the urgency of global solidarity, stating that the agency would remain on the ground “until a just and lasting solution is found.” Since the Nakba of 1948, displacement has been a permanent reality for Palestinians, and recent months have marked one of the most severe waves since then.

In the occupied West Bank, thousands have fled from camps like Jenin and Tulkarm, echoing the trauma of 1948 and 1967. According to UN figures, more than 42,000 people have been displaced from the northern West Bank alone amid demolitions, arrests, and military incursions.

With over 5.9 million registered refugees across the region, UNRWA remains one of the last lifelines for a people still denied the right to return. On a day meant to honour the displaced, Palestinians find little to celebrate, but continue to resist erasure through steadfast presence and collective memory.