UNRWA chief warns of collapse, says education at risk

The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has warned that the agency’s collapse would deprive a generation of Palestinian children of education, fueling extremism.

Speaking to AFP, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini highlighted the agency’s worsening financial crisis, saying there is a “real risk” it could implode, stressing that without UNRWA, millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria would lose access to vital services, including education and healthcare.

The agency, which has operated for over 70 years, has faced growing Israeli criticism, especially after accusations that some staff were involved in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Several countries cut funding in response, and Israel later severed ties with UNRWA, blocking its operations on Israeli soil and restricting coordination efforts in Palestinian territories.