PNN – The website of Al Jazeera news network wrote that with the order to stop the activities of the Relief and Employment Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in the occupied territories, many Palestinians are now worried about its consequences in their lives and future.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, Al Jazeera added: During Israel’s 15-month war (regime) against Gaza, which destroyed most of its population and turned most of the besieged areas into ruins, UNRWA was a vital lifeline to support 2.3 million Palestinians, despite the reduction of humanitarian aid.
This news source continued: In addition to UNRWA’s vital humanitarian role, the displaced – who make up 71 percent of Gaza’s population – fear being cut off from their original homes and denied the right to return to the historic land of Palestine.
Since its establishment in 1949, UNRWA has been a symbol of hope for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who were displaced by the Israeli regime a year before.
Sitting in front of the rubble of his home in Khan Yunis, 74-year-old Abunael Hammouda describes UNRWA as a “lifeline for generations” that has provided education, health care and food in times of peace and war alike.
Hammouda, who is originally from the city of Majdal and was forced to leave it as a child, said that UNRWA is the lung through which Palestinian refugees breathe.
He added: “We will suffocate without it.” My children and grandchildren went to UNRWA schools, were treated in UNRWA hospitals and this agency helped us to have a roof over our heads.
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In October 2024, the Zionist Parliament (Knesset) designated UNRWA as a so-called “terrorist” organization and banned its activities in Gaza and the West Bank.
While the Israeli regime claims that UNRWA supports “terrorism” by providing aid to the Hamas movement, the ruling has drawn criticism from many in the international community, including some of the regime’s closest allies.
As the UNRWA shutdown deadline approaches, Palestinian refugees are worried about their future. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Gaza Palestinians go to Egypt and Jordan has added to their concern; a proposal that was rejected by the leaders of Palestine, the United Nations, Egypt and Jordan.
This proposal will add to the 5.9 million displaced people who are scattered in Palestine and around the world.
UNRWA; A symbol of Palestinian identity
The establishment of UNRWA in 1949 was directly related to the United Nations Resolution 194, which emphasizes the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and receive compensation for their losses.
Many Palestinians see UNRWA as a key pillar in their struggle for justice and recognition, and see its closure not only as a loss of vital services, but as an attack on this fundamental right.
Ibrahim Abdulkader, a displaced person from Khan Younis camp, says that UNRWA’s role is even bigger than aid. By closing it, what they are trying to do is to erase the issue of refugees and the right of return.
Sami Mshasha, an expert on Palestinian refugee issues and a former spokesperson for UNRWA, emphasizes that this agency has been severely damaged by the Israeli regime.
Hammouda, a 74-year-old man who has gone through several wars and displacements, is afraid of his family’s future after the UNRWA ban comes into effect.
He says: If UNRWA leaves, there will be nothing left for us. We cannot survive without it. It is the only thing that has kept us alive.