Published on: 2026-06-30
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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June 30, 2026 UN
Secretary-General António Guterres called on member states to urgently provide financial support to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), warning that the liquidity crisis threatens the provision of vital services to millions of people across the region.
Speaking at a special session of the General Assembly on announcing voluntary contributions to UNRWA, the UN chief emphasized that the situation of the Palestinians remains extremely difficult.
“Today, the safety and well-being of millions of Palestinian refugees are under threat,” he said.
The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic
According to the Secretary-General, despite the ceasefire announced in October last year, more than a thousand Palestinians have been killed in Gaza as a result of Israeli attacks since then.
He described the living conditions in the sector as horrifying. Among the main problems are unexploded ordnance, open sewage ditches, rodent infestations, disease outbreaks, extreme heat, and mass population displacement.
“Families struggle to access safe conditions, housing, food, clean drinking water, education, and medical care. Many still sleep outdoors or go to bed hungry,” Guterres said.
© BAPOR BAPOR Medical Center in Gaza.
He noted the worsening situation in the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians face ongoing violence from settlers, settlement expansion, house demolitions, land confiscations, movement restrictions, and the growing threat of annexation.
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan are also in a difficult situation.
A deficit of 100 million dollars
The Secretary-General recalled that UNRWA has been providing emergency assistance and delivering essential services to Palestinians for decades. However, the agency now finds itself in an extremely difficult financial situation.
According to Guterres, despite stringent austerity measures, a budget deficit of 100 million dollars prevents UNRWA from meeting its current obligations.
“I am deeply concerned about the liquidity crisis of BAPOR, which threatens the fulfillment of its mandate,” said the head of the UN.
He emphasized that this is about a mandate approved by the General Assembly and extended just six months ago with broad support from member states, under which the agency provides vital assistance to 2.6 million people.
The indispensable role of the agency
Guterres called BAPOR one of the key factors of stability in the region.
According to him, the agency’s employees – doctors, nurses, teachers, psychologists, engineers, and other specialists – help millions of people daily and enjoy high trust from local communities.
In Gaza, UNRWA remains the largest provider of primary health care. The agency conducts vaccination campaigns, monitors the nutritional status of children, controls water quality, carries out pest control, ensures the operation of water intake wells and desalination plants, organizes waste removal, provides psychosocial support, and helps children continue their education in emergency conditions.
According to the Secretary-General, the agency will also play a crucial role in the sector’s recovery. No organization can replace UNRWA, he emphasized.
Pressure on BAPOR
“I am appalled by the ongoing attempts to drive out BAPOR and undermine its activities – through disinformation, smear campaigns, legislative measures, operational restrictions and diplomatic obstacles,” said the UN chief.
According to him, these actions jeopardize the welfare of millions of Palestinians and the safety of the agency’s staff.
Since October 2023, more than 390 UN staff members have been killed in Gaza, many others injured or have lost loved ones. All UNRWA facilities in the sector have been damaged or destroyed, and the agency’s international staff have been denied access to the occupied Palestinian territory for nearly a year and a half.
Guterres also condemned the takeover of the BAPOR complex in the Sheikh Jarrah area of East Jerusalem, calling it a violation of international law provisions.
Call to States
The Secretary-General noted that the agency has implemented most of the recommendations from the independent review conducted in 2024, strengthened adherence to humanitarian principles, and continues to adapt its work to new conditions.
However, due to a lack of funds, BAPOR has already been forced to reduce the volume of services provided by 20 percent, cut the salaries of most local employees, and leave 15 percent of international positions unfilled.
© BAPOR Medical Center BAPOR in Gaza.
“Any further cuts could lead the situation to reach a critical point,” warned the UN chief.
He emphasized that UNRWA remains an indispensable element of efforts to create conditions for a just and lasting resolution of the conflict based on the two-state principle.
In conclusion, the Secretary-General called on states not to limit themselves to political support for the agency.
“I urge you to back this support with the necessary financial resources. Not next year. Not next month. Now,” Guterres said.
Sustainable solution
The President of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, speaking at the meeting, also called on states to urgently increase support for UNRWA, emphasizing that the agency was never intended as a permanent assistance mechanism. It was established in 1949 in anticipation of a political settlement and the implementation of the principle of coexistence of two states – Israel and Palestine.
“UNRWA was never meant to exist permanently,” said Baerbock. However, today its mandate covers nearly 5.9 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
“In 2025, UNRWA received contributions totaling $829 million, including $76 million from the regular UN budget,” added the President of the General Assembly. “However, against needs estimated at $3.3 billion, this funding only covered about 27 percent of what was required by the agency.”
Baerbock called on governments, as well as private funds, businesses, and individual donors to increase financial support for UNHCR.
“If BAPOR is unable to perform its work, who will be able to replace it?” she stated.
According to Baerbock, without schools, medical care, clean water, and other basic services, achieving a just and lasting peace will become practically impossible. At the same time, she emphasized that funding UNRWA alone will not resolve the crisis. A sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, respect for international law, unhindered humanitarian access, and real steps towards implementing the two-state solution are necessary.
“The creation of a Palestinian state will mean that UNRWA will no longer be needed. Until that day comes, let’s not stop working on the two-state solution. And let’s not stop supporting UNRWA,” she concluded.
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