Action Group – London

Jonathan Fowler, spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), announced that the agency had received what he described as “strong” political support from Turkey, noting that UNRWA is currently working to open a new office in the capital, Ankara, in a move aimed at strengthening its relations with the Turkish authorities and the local community.

Fowler explained that UNRWA remains committed to providing essential services to Palestinian refugees, including education, healthcare, and sanitation, as well as humanitarian assistance during crises. However, he noted that these services have been significantly impacted by the agency’s financial crisis.

He pointed out that UNRWA’s heavy reliance on voluntary contributions presents a structural challenge, adding that the cash shortfall has forced the agency to reduce its services by up to 20%, in addition to cutting the salaries of doctors, teachers, and local staff by the same percentage.

In a related context, Fowler indicated that restrictions imposed on UNRWA’s operations in certain areas, including an Israeli decision preventing the agency from working in areas Israel considers under its sovereignty, have directly affected its ability to deliver aid, particularly to the Gaza Strip, describing this as a “political decision.”

He also drew attention to the deteriorating working conditions of UNRWA staff in the occupied Palestinian territories, emphasizing that nearly 400 agency personnel have been killed in the Gaza Strip, an unprecedented event in the history of the United Nations.

These developments come amidst ongoing financial and political challenges facing UNRWA, which directly impact the level of services provided to millions of Palestinian refugees in its areas of operation.