The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) warned this Thursday that an “unprecedented economic pressure” has led it to accumulate a deficit of 80 million dollars (a little more than 71.7 million euros), which “threatens its long-term sustainability.” Despite this, the agency has said it is studying adjustments to ensure the continuity of its services and has stressed that it will continue to carry out its mandate despite the difficulties.
The agency explained that it keeps running its education programs, health care, emergency aid, and protection in all the areas where it operates (Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria). However, it has admitted that the prolonged shortage of funds and uncertainty about future funding have undermined the quality of some of these services, even after years of budget cuts and cost-saving measures aimed at preserving jobs.
In this context, UNRWA is reviewing its operations to adapt them both to the needs of the refugee population and to the current situation on the ground, emphasizing that its priority will continue to be the most vulnerable population, with special attention to women, girls, and young people. “UNRWA is not being dismantled,” the United Nations agency clarified, adding that no decision has yet been made about any possible changes to its workforce or its operational deployment.
The agency noted that any potential reduction in staff would only be considered if the financial situation and operational conditions left no other viable option. In its statement, the agency also acknowledged the strong impact that any decision in this direction would have on its nearly 28,000 employees, their families, and the communities they serve.
For now, among the containment measures already put in place is a 20 percent reduction in the weekly service provision workday, applied starting January 2026, a decision that seeks to protect jobs and sustain basic care.
Insufficient and unpredictable resources
The organization has recalled that, although the United Nations General Assembly broadly expanded its mandate in December 2025, the funds available to carry it out continue to be "insufficient and unpredictable." In this vein, it has emphasized that only the General Assembly is empowered to modify or withdraw that mandate and has urged member states, host countries, and partners to maintain dialogue and consultations.
"UNRWA cannot fulfill all the responsibilities entrusted to it without the necessary resources," the agency has warned, which has "urgently" called on donors for stable and sustained funding to prevent further deterioration of its services and safeguard the rights and well-being of Palestinian refugees.
Lastly, the organization has warned that "no other organization" currently has the capacity to provide humanitarian aid and essential services on a comparable scale, particularly in Gaza. In this way, in its view, a reduction in international support would involve shifting an even greater burden onto the region’s most vulnerable communities and could intensify instability.