MEZIESBLOG

Explained: What is the UNRWA and how important is it?

The prospect of the UN agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) being forced to shut down services by the end of February has caused alarm among aid charities, as it is said to provide a lifeline for the people of Gaza.

It is also causing concern in Arab states hosting refugees, which do not have the resources to fill the gap.

What is the UNRWA and how important is it?

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency was set up in 1949 following the first Arab-Israeli war to provide refugees with vital services.

Today, it serves 5.9 million Palestinians across the region.

More than half a million children are enrolled in its schools and millions of visits are made each year to its clinics, according to UNRWA’s website.

The UN relief agency also offers food aid, social services, infrastructure, camp improvement and emergency response including in situations of armed conflict.

For Palestinians, the UNRWA’s importance goes beyond vital services and they view its existence being connected with the preservation of their rights as refugees.

What is the UNRWA accused of?

A six-page Israeli dossier claims 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the attack by Hamas against Israel on 7 October.

The Israeli intelligence document lists their alleged roles in the attack alongside photographs and job descriptions – saying nine of the employees were teachers while one was a social worker. 

In response, the UK and the US joined more than 10 countries in suspending funding to the agency.

Following the accusations, the UN condemned “the abhorrent alleged acts” and sacked nine of the 12 accused workers, while two are reported to have died and the last is still being identified.

The UNRWA hopes donors will review the suspension once a preliminary report into the assertions is published in the next weeks.