UNRWA staff in Gaza fear destitution from impact of Israeli ban

Concerns over lost jobs rise among Palestinian agency's 13,000 staff in the strip

The aftermath of a deadly Israeli attack on a school run by UNRWA in Nuseirat refugee camp, Deir Al Balah, Gaza. Anadolu

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Employees and those reliant on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees are "deeply worried" for their future as the organisation's operations in Gaza and elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territories may be forced to a halt on Thursday.

Israel's parliament passed legislation last October to stop UNRWA operating within Israeli-controlled territory and bar Israelis from interacting with it. This includes the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

The agency must cease its operations and evacuate all its premises in East Jerusalem on Thursday, the Israeli envoy to the UN, Danny Danon, told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

The Israeli government has accused UNRWA staff of taking part in the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which sparked the most recent war, as well as being closely linked to the militant group, a charge disputed by the agency.

Established in 1949, UNRWA has played a huge role in delivering aid and other assistance to Palestinian refugees in Gaza both before and after the war began. The body operated eight camps housing about 1.6 million people in the enclave and offers state-like services including the running of schools and hospitals. More than 300,000 children rely on the agency for their education.

UNRWA offices in East Jerusalem must close on Thursday. Thomas Helm / The National

UNRWA's 13,000 staff in the Gaza Strip now face an uncertain future, as Israel has not given details on how it plans to enforce October's legislation. An employee in its administrative sector told The National that if the agency ceases operations in Gaza, it will have a devastating effect on her future.

“When I became an UNRWA employee, I felt a sense of job security and relief, knowing I had a stable source of income,” she said. "But with this decision, I am now deeply worried about how I will find another means of supporting myself and my family."

She is the sole breadwinner for her family, which includes her father, sisters, nieces and nephews, and she has worked for the agency for four years. “If I lose my job, I don’t know how I will manage,” she said.

Many of UNRWA's employees also use its services, especially during the war, in which more than 47,400 people have been killed and 90 per cent of the population displaced. Up to a million people in Gaza have relied on UNRWA shelters during the conflict, which has paused due to a ceasefire which began on January 19.

The agency's Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said the ceasefire was being undermined by the Israeli decision. “Curtailing our operations now – outside a political process and when trust in the international community is so low – will undermine the ceasefire. It will sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition,” Mr Lazzarini said.

The extent of UNRWA's network in the Gaza Strip means it cannot easily be replaced, said Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council.

“UNRWA cannot be replaced by any other of the humanitarian organisations on the ground," he said. "We all rely on UNRWA’s logistical capacity. We operate in UNRWA's schools."

Many Palestinians who rely on UNRWA's services also fear what Thursday's ban will bring.

Nedaa Moghrabi, 38, a mother of five, has previously made use of medical offerings by the agency, which says it provides more than 63 per cent of primary healthcare services through its medical centres, with 1,100 staff working in Gaza.

“I rely on UNRWA for medical treatment and my children’s education” Ms Moghrabi told The National. "If it stops providing these services, how will I ensure my children receive health care and continue their schooling?

“Most of Gaza’s population depends on UNRWA's services. We continue to live under occupation, which deprives us of opportunities for a decent life. Every war destroys what little we manage to build. And now, they [the Israelis] are trying to force us to seek life elsewhere – something we absolutely refuse [to do]."

How the ban will affect UNRWA's work is yet to be seen, but spokeswoman Inas Hamdan said the agency would try to continue working.

“At UNRWA, our goal is to remain operational and continue providing essential services, as well as critical relief aid, to displaced persons and residents in Gaza and other occupied Palestinian territories," she told The National.

“We are speaking about essential, life-sustaining services that could be at risk of halting if such a decision is executed. Furthermore, education is a major concern. An entire generation has already lost a full academic year. Currently, 650,000 students are out of school and no other institution can take on this massive role of providing educational services alongside the many other critical functions that UNRWA fulfils.”