New York, USA- September 26, 2025
The Secretary-General of the United Nations has issued an urgent and impassioned plea for sustained political and financial UNRWA Support Amid Intensifying Gaza Crisis, warning that the vital aid agency is facing a critical funding shortfall that threatens to compromise its life-saving operations across the Middle East before the year’s end. Speaking at a ministerial meeting held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the UN Chief, António Guterres, described the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as a “force for stability” and a crucial pillar of the humanitarian response in a region facing catastrophic conditions.
The crisis in Gaza remains at the forefront of global attention, with the entire population facing severe levels of food insecurity. UNRWA, which is the main distributor of aid in the territory, continues to operate under extreme duress, with staff being killed and premises destroyed. The Secretary-General’s appeal for UNRWA Support is a direct response to a projected deficit of over $200 million spanning the last quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, a deficit exacerbated by the withdrawal of major donor funding earlier this year.
Headline Points (HPs):
* Critical Funding Gap: UNRWA faces a financial deficit exceeding $200 million for the period between late 2025 and early 2026, jeopardising operations across its five fields of operation.
* Gaza Lifeline at Risk:
The agency is the “backbone” of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, providing essential services like shelter, water, and food for an entire population facing famine-like conditions.
* Call for Political Solidarity:
UN Chief António Guterres urged Member States not only to provide funding but also to stand in political solidarity with the agency and counter “distortions” that threaten its mandate.
* Extreme Operational Pressure:
UNRWA staff in Gaza continue to work “against all odds” while facing immense destruction, and restrictions on movement and aid supplies, with numerous staff members having lost their lives.
* Consequence of Donor Withdrawal:
The deficit stems primarily from the suspension of contributions by several major donors, including the agency’s largest, following serious allegations earlier this year.
The Backbone of Aid Under Threat
In his remarks, Secretary-General Guterres underscored that for generations, Palestine refugees have relied on UNRWA for education, healthcare, and other essential services. He stressed that until a political solution to the conflict is found, UNRWA remains indispensable to helping steer the region towards stability and peace. The agency currently serves nearly two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, providing daily assistance that is often the difference between life and death.
UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, echoed the gravity of the situation, detailing the immense operational challenges. He noted the agency’s facilities have been repeatedly impacted by conflict, and that essential aid supplies—enough to sustain the population for months—have been blocked from entering the territory since March. Furthermore, the agency’s financial resilience has been severely tested.
“The loss of two major donors—including the Agency’s largest contributor—has sparked a severe deficit and cashflow crisis,” Lazzarini stated at the ministerial gathering. He warned that, despite implementing austerity and cost-control measures, the shortfall is too large to absorb, meaning that without a significant and immediate influx of new funding, the delivery of critical services will be “compromised before the end of the year.”
A Plea for Stability and Humanity
The UN Chief explicitly urged donor nations to take immediate action by funding UNRWA “urgently, fully, and predictably.” He framed the support for the agency not merely as a humanitarian obligation but as a political necessity, calling UNRWA a “force for stability in the most unstable region of the world.”
Guterres also made a powerful moral appeal, paying tribute to the immense sacrifices of the UNRWA staff in Gaza—the 11,000 Palestinian personnel who remain on the ground to provide health, water, sanitation, and shelter services amidst the continuing hostilities. He emphasized that the immense suffering of the population, including children who have been out of school for two years, serves as the ultimate case for the agency’s continued operation.
Top diplomats from co-chairing nations, including Jordan, Spain, and Brazil, lent their full support, highlighting UNRWA’s crucial role. The Minister of Foreign Affairs for Spain added that any country seeking to replace the agency must instead work towards the establishment of a Palestinian state that can take on the responsibility of caring for its own people, thus resolving the core issue that necessitated UNRWA’s creation in the first place.
The global community now waits to see if the Secretary-General’s plea in New York will translate into concrete financial commitments, as the clock continues to tick down on the agency’s ability to sustain its services in the midst of the escalating Gaza Crisis.
