UNRWA’s Future and the Palestine Refugee Crisis | António Guterres

Speaking at the UNRWA Pledging Conference on 30 June 2026, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warns that “the safety and welfare of millions of Palestinian refugees hangs in the balance” as humanitarian conditions deteriorate across Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. He describes living conditions in Gaza as “utterly appalling,” with families struggling to access food, clean water, shelter, education and healthcare, while also highlighting settlement expansion, displacement and the threat of annexation in the West Bank. Guterres stresses that generations of Palestine refugees have depended on UNRWA for essential services and warns that the agency’s financial situation is increasingly precarious, with a $100 million deficit threatening its ability to fulfil its mandate. Guterres describes UNRWA as “a stabilizing force in an age of instability” and condemns efforts to marginalize and undermine the agency through restrictions, disinformation and other pressures. He pays tribute to more than 390 UNRWA colleagues killed in Gaza since October 2023 and insists that “no organization can replace or substitute the agency’s capacity and mandate.” While noting reforms aimed at strengthening neutrality, efficiency and sustainability, he warns that “any further cuts could push conditions past the breaking point.” Concluding, he calls on Member States to match political support with urgent financial contributions, stressing: “Not next year, not next month, now,” while reaffirming UNRWA’s role in supporting the conditions necessary for a just and lasting two-state solution. More details: https://www.un.org/unispal/document/u...