UN chief stresses UNRWA's irreplaceable role, calls for global support

NEW YORK

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged world leaders on Thursday to increase support for the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which he says has no alternative in the world that provides essential services to nearly 6 million people.

His appeal came during a high-level meeting co-hosted by Jordan and Sweden on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where he described the situation in Gaza as "beyond imagination."

"We have failed the people of Gaza. They are in a living hell that somehow gets even worse by the day," Guterres stated.

He emphasized that "there is no alternative to UNRWA” and urged all U.N. member states to "work on all fronts to intensify support for the agency’s vital mission."

Guterres acknowledged that UNRWA is not a sustainable long-term solution for Palestinian refugees and reiterated his call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages, and the establishment of a two-state solution with Jerusalem as the capital for both Palestine and Israel.

"But until that moment, UNRWA remains indispensable," he stressed, appealing for full support.

Describing life for 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, Guterres painted a grim picture of existence among "lakes of sewage, piles of rubbish, and mountains of rubble," warning that conditions are only deteriorating.

"The only certainty is that tomorrow will be worse," he said, adding that "if there is any outpost of hope in this hellscape, it is UNRWA."

Guterres highlighted the severe operational and political challenges faced by the agency, noting the tragic loss of 222 UNRWA colleagues—many alongside their families—marking the highest death toll in U.N. history. He criticized campaigns aimed at discrediting the agency, including the Israeli Knesset's classification of UNRWA as a terror organization.

"In the face of the catastrophic conditions, UNRWA perseveres," Guterres affirmed, expressing full confidence in the agency's adherence to humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, and humanity. He also endorsed the recommendations from an Independent Review led by Catherine Colonna, adding that "virtually all donors have reversed their funding suspensions," reflecting a broad consensus on the agency's vital role across the West Bank and the region.