UNRWA chief warns aid to Gaza is 'not yet at scale,' agency near collapse

The head of the United Nations agency supporting Palestinian refugees has delivered a stark assessment of the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, stating that aid delivery remains woefully inadequate despite a three-month-old ceasefire. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told Anadolu that the population "continue to lack almost everything," living in flimsy, non-waterproof tents and receiving little beyond basic food supplies, with cold winter weather compounding their suffering after two years of war and displacement.

A Divided Gaza and a Race Against Time

Lazzarini introduced a troubling new reality on the ground, stating, "Gaza has been separated into two. We have now the 'Yellow Line,'" referring to an undisclosed barrier that further restricts movement and aid distribution. He described a desperate race against time, with UNRWA and its partners focusing on essential services like daily health consultations, vaccination campaigns, clean water access, and waste management to prevent disease outbreaks. Critically, the agency has managed to restore a learning environment for over 60,000 children and provide distance learning for 290,000 more in an effort to prevent "losing an entire generation" to trauma and extremism.

Financial Collapse Looming After US Withdraws Funding

The UNRWA chief detailed a severe financial crisis threatening the agency's very existence. He confirmed that U.S. contributions, once its largest source of funding, remain suspended and that the Trump administration has formally ended its support. While other nations that initially paused funding have resumed, the loss of American money has created a massive shortfall, forcing "harsh cost-cutting measures." Lazzarini warned UNRWA is operating "on the edge of financial collapse," which severely constrains its ability to fulfill its UN mandate in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

Condemning Israeli Laws as Violations of International Law

Lazzarini directly addressed what he described as Israeli violations of international law, particularly new legislation impacting UNRWA. He cited laws that restrict contact with the agency, affect international staff and shipments, and most severely, authorize the cutting of electricity and water to UNRWA facilities in occupied East Jerusalem, including provisions for confiscating property. He stated these measures contradict International Court of Justice rulings and represent unilateral actions that violate legal norms. Despite these obstacles and the precarious funding situation, Lazzarini stressed that UNRWA's 12,000 staff in Gaza remain "extremely active on the ground."