Palestinians advance along the Al-Rashid Highway towards Gaza City from Nuseirat, in the central Gaza Strip, on October 10, 2025. PHOTO:AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates on Friday reaffirmed the indispensable role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in safeguarding the rights and well-being of Palestinian refugees.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers said: “For decades, UNRWA has carried out a unique mandate entrusted to it by the international community, providing protection, education, health care, social services and emergency assistance to millions of Palestinian refugees in its areas of operation, in accordance with United Nations General Assembly Resolution 302 (1949).
“The adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution to renew UNRWA’s mandate for three more years reflects international confidence in the vital role played by the agency and the continuity of its operations.”
The ministers condemned the assault on the UNRWA headquarters in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem by Israeli forces, as this attack represented a flagrant violation of international law and the inviolability of UN facilities, which constituted an unacceptable escalation, and violated the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of 22 October 2025, which clearly stated that Israel, as an occupying power, has the obligation not to impede UNRWA operations. UNRWA and, on the contrary, to facilitate them.
In light of the unprecedented humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, the ministers underlined the essential role UNRWA played in providing humanitarian assistance through its network of distribution centres, ensuring that food, relief items and necessities reach those in need fairly and efficiently, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2803.
UNRWA schools and health centers remain a lifeline for refugee communities in Gaza, continuing to provide education and essential primary health care under extremely difficult conditions, contributing to the implementation of President Trump’s Plan on the ground and allowing the Palestinian people to remain in their land and rebuild their homeland, they added.
The ministers stressed that UNRWA’s role was irreplaceable.
“No other entity has the infrastructure, expertise and on-the-ground presence necessary to meet the needs of Palestinian refugees or to ensure continuity of services at the necessary scale,” they added.
They said: “Any weakening of the agency’s capacity would have serious humanitarian, social and political repercussions across the region.”
Accordingly, the ministers called on the international community to ensure sustainable and adequate funding for UNRWA and to provide the agency with the necessary political and operational space to continue its vital work “across all five fields of operations.”
“Supporting UNRWA is a cornerstone of maintaining stability, preserving human dignity and upholding the rights of Palestinian refugees until a just and lasting solution to their plight is achieved in accordance with international law and relevant United Nations resolutions, including UN General Assembly resolution 194,” they added.
