UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on member states to provide immediate financial assistance to the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, warning that a growing funding crisis is threatening critical humanitarian operations across the Middle East.
Addressing the UN General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on voluntary contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on Tuesday, Guterres said millions of Palestinian refugees depend on the agency for essential services and protection.
The UN chief described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as increasingly severe, noting that more than 1,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed since the ceasefire announced in October 2025. He also highlighted widespread displacement, damaged infrastructure, food shortages, and limited access to healthcare and other basic services.
Beyond Gaza, Guterres pointed to ongoing challenges facing Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including settler violence, settlement expansion, home demolitions, movement restrictions, and land confiscation. He also noted the continued hardships experienced by Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
Warning that UNRWA is facing a serious financial emergency, Guterres said the agency currently has a funding gap of approximately $100 million despite implementing cost-cutting measures. He stressed that the liquidity crisis is jeopardizing the organization’s ability to carry out its humanitarian mandate.
Describing UNRWA as a vital pillar of regional stability, Guterres said the agency continues to provide healthcare, education, emergency assistance, water, sanitation, and refugee registration services to millions of vulnerable people.
He also criticized what he described as continued efforts to undermine the agency through disinformation campaigns, political pressure, legislative actions, operational restrictions, and diplomatic obstacles, warning that such actions put the welfare of Palestinian refugees at greater risk.
Guterres argued that maintaining UNRWA’s operations is essential not only for humanitarian relief but also for preserving the conditions needed to achieve a lasting two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.
Concluding his appeal, the UN chief urged governments to translate political support into immediate financial commitments, emphasizing that urgent funding is needed now to sustain the agency’s life-saving work and promote long-term regional stability.
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