The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, is preparing for a triple crisis as Israeli strikes in Lebanon exacerbate the challenges it already faces in Gaza and the West Bank, according to its chief on Tuesday.
Established in 1949, UNRWA provides essential services such as education and healthcare to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. With three of its operational areas transforming into "active frontlines," the agency, already struggling with a significant financial deficit, is expected to face even greater pressure, said UNRWA's Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.
"We already have Gaza and the West Bank, which have become active frontlines," he noted. "Now, we also have Lebanon, meaning three operational contexts will likely become humanitarian emergencies," he added, describing the situation as a "triple tragedy."
Amid escalating Israeli strikes, UNRWA has temporarily halted some operations in Lebanon, converting its schools into shelters for hundreds of displaced people from the south. Displacement surged after Israel targeted Hezbollah on Monday, resulting in at least 558 fatalities, marking the deadliest day in Lebanon since its 1975-90 civil war, according to local authorities.
Lazzarini expressed concern that "we are heading towards a full-scale war," as global leaders convened at the UN for its annual diplomatic event. He also worried that parts of Lebanon might resemble Gaza.
The October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli war on Gaza have compounded threats to UNRWA, the only UN organization dedicated to aiding a specific refugee population. Since the start of the Gaza war, at least 222 UNRWA staff have been killed, and two-thirds of its facilities in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed.
"Depending on how the war unfolds in Lebanon, we have thousands of staff there, and it's possible that more staff could be killed," Lazzarini said. A new front in Lebanon "will strain us further. The needs will rise, and we will require more support from donors," he added.
Earlier this year, the agency faced funding cuts after Israel accused over a dozen of its 13,000 Gaza employees of involvement in the October 7 attack by Hamas. Most donors have resumed funding, except for the United States, UNRWA's largest financial supporter.
Lazzarini stated, "UNRWA has sufficient funding until the end of October." With an $80 million shortfall for 2024, he is hosting a donor conference this week during the UN General Assembly to secure pledges. The primary goal is to ensure operations continue through the end of the year and to secure longer-term commitments from donors.
"I am very concerned about 2025 because certain traditional donors will implement austerity measures and reduce their overseas budgets," he said, without specifying any countries.
