AhlulBayt News Agency: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has strongly criticized remarks made by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who stated that the agency “will have no role in relief operations in the Gaza Strip.”
UNRWA emphasized that its presence is essential and cannot be replaced in delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
In a post on its official X account (formerly Twitter), UNRWA highlighted that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a clear ruling last Wednesday, affirming that no other organization can substitute UNRWA in supporting Gaza’s residents. The agency described its role as “vital to meeting urgent humanitarian needs in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
Rubio made his comments during a press conference at the “US-Israeli Civil-Military Coordination Center” located in the Kiryat Gat settlement. He stated that “eight to ten aid organizations will operate in Gaza, but UNRWA will not be among them,” echoing Israeli claims that the agency is “affiliated with Hamas.”
However, these statements contradict the ceasefire plan proposed by US President Donald Trump, which includes a clause explicitly stating that aid distribution in Gaza will be handled solely by the United Nations and its agencies, the Red Crescent, and internationally neutral organizations.
Israel had previously accused UNRWA of involvement in the October 7, 2023, attacks, alleging that some of its staff participated. UNRWA firmly denied the claims, and the ICJ confirmed that Israel had not provided any evidence to support the accusations.
Rubio’s comments reflect Israel’s ongoing opposition to UNRWA’s return to Gaza, despite the ICJ’s ruling.
Israeli state broadcaster Kan quoted a government official who claimed that all UN agencies previously operating in Gaza had failed to fulfill their duties effectively. The official added that Israel had conveyed its position to Washington, hoping the US would adopt a similar stance.
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