Palestinian communities face a looming humanitarian crisis alongside ongoing violence. In the Gaza Strip, the World Food Programme cannot sustain aid at current levels without additional funding from the United Nations. The program supports the livelihoods of about 60 percent of its beneficiaries, roughly 200,000 residents who rely on daily food assistance. At the same time, UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, reports that it can only secure part of the funds needed to run schools and health centers in the Palestinian territories. A gap remains between the funds raised and the 300 million dollars required for full operations, signaling a potential pause in essential services.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has highlighted the agency’s fragile finances as UNRWA nears a critical tipping point, with an open need for significant contributions. A recent donor conference at United Nations headquarters aimed to mobilize more support, but only a portion of the funds required to sustain UNRWA’s programs was pledged. The Commissioner General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, acknowledged the support while noting that the commitments fall short of what is needed to keep more than 700 schools and 140 clinics operational from September through December.
The World Food Programme has identified a funding shortfall of about 51 million dollars to continue its support in Palestine through the end of the year. Recent clashes in Gaza and the broader conflict have intensified economic hardships in the territory. Authorities in Israel have expressed concerns over the potential consequences of reduced aid, while Western governments and humanitarian actors warn that shrinking relief could deepen a humanitarian emergency and raise security risks.
5.9 million Palestinians
Observers note a political dynamic in which some stakeholders seem reluctant to fully address the needs of the Palestinian population, even as diplomats urge increased financial backing to avert a crisis. A Western diplomat remarked that without adequate funding, WFP may be forced to suspend operations in August, jeopardizing food security for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people. Reports indicate multiple humanitarian organizations may need to adjust their aid delivery if funding remains scarce.
Earlier this year, UNRWA projected a funding gap of about 1.6 billion dollars to support its programs, operations, and emergency responses across Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. About 850 million dollars were earmarked for core operations, including the operation of schools and health facilities. Established during the 1948 refugee displacement, UNRWA’s mandate was meant to provide education, health services, social support, and jobs to Palestinian refugees. The scale of the needs remains large for the 5.9 million Palestinians reliant on its programs, a situation that underscores the ongoing risk to families and communities across the region.