He stressed that a “virulent” disinformation campaign has tarnished his reputation and strangled his funds.
“Cutting or ending UNRWA services will have serious consequences for the region” Mr. Lazzarini warned. “In Gaza, it would undermine stabilization and recovery, jeopardizing the political path forward.”
Protect yourself against radicalization
UNRWA has been operating since 1950, providing basic services, protection and humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, the Syrian Arab Republic, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip.
Check out our UN News explainer here at the agency following the Israeli Knesset’s decision to outlaw UNRWA last year.
In 2024, the agency provided emergency food assistance to approximately 1.9 million Palestinians in Gaza. It also provides 40 percent of all primary health care and conducts in-person learning for more than 50,000 children.
“We have managed to educate generations of Palestinians who are thriving global citizens, enriching communities throughout the region and beyond, in Europe and North America,” Lazzarini said.
Later, at a briefing with reporters in New York, he added that “If rubble and trauma become the new learning environment, there is indeed a risk that these children will be exploited in the future and join armed groups or become radicalized..”
Fears of instability as funding collapses
The agency has faced scrutiny over Israeli accusations that UNRWA personnel were involved in the October 7 attacks, and the United States, traditionally the agency’s largest donor, suspended all funding in 2023.
The working group on Palestine expressed concern in the General Assembly about the agency’s massive underfunding and its potential destabilizing impact on the broader region, saying that “it is imperative that UNRWA, as an indispensable agency, continues to receive the necessary support to resolve its financial crisis and contribute to alleviating the catastrophic situation in Gaza.”
Ambassador Feda Abdelhady, deputy permanent observer of the State of Palestine to the UN, described the agency as “indispensable and irreplaceable.”
“We urge all States to remain firm and principled in their support for UNRWA, with due recognition of its vital role.”