GAZA,(The Palestine Foundation Pakistan)The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has denounced recent remarks by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, saying his comments about barring the agency from operating in Gaza were “nothing new” and reflect the traditional US hostility toward the UN body.
Adnan Abu Hasna, UNRWA’s media advisor, told Al Jazeera Net that Washington’s opposition to the agency began under US president Donald Trump in 2018, when he halted all US funding to UNRWA. President Joe Biden later restored the support, but Trump froze it again immediately after returning to the White House earlier this year.
The United States remains UNRWA’s largest donor, contributing between 25 and 30 percent of its annual budget. Its total contributions since the agency’s founding have exceeded $7 billion.
Abu Hasna stressed that the latest US position has nothing to do with UNRWA’s neutrality or transparency, noting that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled just two days ago that the agency is a neutral UN body operating within international law and that there is no evidence of infiltration by Palestinian factions, as Israel often claims.
The ICJ reaffirmed last Wednesday that there is no proof UNRWA has violated neutrality principles or discriminated in aid distribution. The court also emphasized that Israel must facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance, especially that provided by the UN agency.
Despite this, Israel’s public broadcaster quoted a senior government official as saying that the Israeli authorities do not intend to allow UNRWA to resume operations inside Gaza.
Responding to that position, Abu Hasna said that UNRWA “is not a body under the authority of the Israeli government. It derives its mandate from the UN General Assembly and operates under its resolutions.”
He said the agency continues to function in Gaza despite the Israeli ban imposed since January 2025. It currently employs more than 12,000 staff members, 8,000 of whom are teachers educating around 300,000 students, and 1,300 healthcare workers who have supervised over 10 million medical visits since October 2023. Hundreds of others work in food distribution and logistical support.
Abu Hasna emphasized that all attempts to replace UNRWA have failed, referencing the short-lived “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation,” and reaffirmed that UNRWA remains the only body with the data and logistical infrastructure capable of serving Gaza’s refugees.
He further noted that the agency’s mandate can only be changed by the UN General Assembly, which is set to review its renewal in December. “Anyone seeking to alter our role should go to the General Assembly,” he said. “We will continue to fulfill our duties.”
The UNRWA spokesperson warned that halting the agency’s services in Gaza would have “catastrophic consequences,” as it serves as a lifeline for millions of Palestinians, providing essential health care, education, sanitation, water, shelter, and psychosocial support.
He added that UNRWA continues to deliver most of its services, except for humanitarian aid distribution, which remains blocked because Israel has prevented the entry of around 6,000 trucks loaded with food, medicine, tents, and blankets, enough to sustain the population for at least three months.
With the ceasefire in effect, UNRWA has launched comprehensive plans to restore education by reopening schools and expanding in-person learning to accommodate 10,000 additional students.
In the health sector, the agency is reviving medical centers and has established mobile clinics that now treat about 17,000 patients daily. Before the genocide began, UNRWA operated 22 fixed health centers across Gaza.
Abu Hasna also highlighted that UNRWA continues to provide mental health support, garbage collection, water distribution, and shelter management for displaced families throughout the enclave.
