UNRWA Appeals for Global Support Amid Funding Crisis

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has warned that Palestinian refugees across its five areas of operation continue to face immense humanitarian, social, and economic challenges, while available resources to meet these needs are dwindling. Roland Friedrich, Director of UNRWA Affairs in the occupied West Bank and Acting Head of the UNRWA Representative Office in Cairo, stressed on Monday that sustained international support is crucial for the continuity of basic services and to help maintain regional stability. He highlighted the unprecedented and ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, alongside the deteriorating situation in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. According to Friedrich, UNRWA continues to deliver humanitarian and development services amid restrictions, including a ban on its operations in East Jerusalem. He revealed that UNRWA is facing a cash shortfall exceeding US$100 million (approximately Rp1.7 trillion) for 2026, warning that this funding gap threatens the continuity of essential services for millions of Palestinian refugees and jeopardises the agency’s operations across the five areas.