Let me start by paying tribute to the 392 UNRWA staff who have been killed since October 2023, and to those who continue to serve in the most challenging conditions.
UNRWA remains indispensable to the delivery of essential services to millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
In Gaza, UNRWA has delivered over 18.7 million health consultations since October 2023. It is also reaching around 860,000 people each day with clean water. This is essential public health work.
In Lebanon, UNRWA has been operating two emergency shelters, supporting 1,900 people displaced by the conflict, and providing more than 200,000 medical consultations through its clinics.
Across the region, UNRWA anchors stability and, through its mandate, supports Palestine refugee rights pending a just and lasting political solution.
But the extensive challenges facing the agency are undermining its ability to operate.
The United Kingdom condemns actions taken by the Israeli Government including Knesset legislation aimed at restricting its operations in Palestine and the demolition of UNRWA’s headquarters in East Jerusalem. Israel must comply with its obligations to respect the inviolability of UN premises.
UN Security Council Resolution 2803 is clear. Humanitarian assistance must reach civilians in Gaza at scale, in coordination with the United Nations and its agencies. UNRWA remains indispensable to that effort.
So we must work together to protect its vital mandate, both politically and through adequate and sustained financing.
To this end, I am pleased to announce that the United Kingdom will provide $30.7 million to UNRWA this year, including $1.3 million to support implementation of the Colonna Report.
We welcome progress on implementation to date and urge UNRWA to continue this effort. Through our role as co-chair of the Neutrality Working Group, we will continue to support reforms to strengthen neutrality, governance, and oversight.
Chair, the United Kingdom stands ready to work with partners here today to support and safeguard UNRWA’s important role, ensuring it can continue to provide stability, dignity, and hope across the region.