The Commissioner General of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, addressed the UN Security Council recently, expressing strong opposition to the proposed dissolution of his agency.
Lazzarini warned that millions of Palestinians could lose their refugee status, which would exacerbate hunger in Gaza and hinder efforts to transition from a ceasefire to reconstruction and rehabilitation of the area.
"Dissolving UNRWA would make it impossible for half a million children to return to school, trapping an entire generation in despair and perpetuating a cycle of violence," he emphasized.
The meeting, initiated by Jordan, began with a minute of silence to honor the 178 UNRWA employees who lost their lives in Gaza.
Israel has criticized the agency, alleging some UNRWA staff were involved in the October 7 attack and accusing it of complicity with Hamas.
Nonetheless, UNRWA remains the sole organization equipped with the necessary infrastructure and personnel to deliver humanitarian aid in the region.
