- UK set to announce £23 million of support for UN agency responsible for supporting Palestine refugees at pledging conference in New York.
- Announcement forms part of the UK’s commitment to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza and support for Palestine refugees across the region.
- Funding comes as United Nations Relief and Workers Agency (UNRWA) continues to face severe restrictions and disruption to its lifesaving support.
The UK government will today announce £23 million of support for UNRWA to deliver lifesaving support for Palestine refugees at a pledging conference in New York.
The funding will help UNRWA continue delivering essential services for up to 5.9 million Palestine refugees across the region. The funding will also support civilians in Gaza, where humanitarian needs remain acute and families face displacement, food insecurity and limited access to basic services. Funding will support primary healthcare, basic education, social services, emergency food and shelter.
The conference comes as UNRWA faces serious challenges operating on the ground in Gaza, where 392 of its staff have been killed since October 2023. Ongoing steps by Israel, including legislation introduced in 2024, have sought to severely disrupt its operations. In January, UNRWA’s headquarters in East Jerusalem were demolished and persistent access restrictions on the humanitarian response in Gaza continue to hinder their efforts.
The UK’s funding, announced alongside support from other international partners, underlines continued international backing for UNRWA and the vital role of the UN in delivering humanitarian assistance.
UNRWA is central to delivering humanitarian assistance and remains uniquely placed to do so at the scale required in Gaza. Its staff, infrastructure and local networks are critical to reaching Palestinian civilians most in need. UNRWA’s work in the West Bank is also supporting Palestinian refugees facing displacement, heightened insecurity, access restrictions and increasing humanitarian needs for protection and basic services.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said:
The humanitarian situation in Gaza is desperate. Families urgently need food, shelter, clean water and medical support – I saw first-hand during my visit to Jordan how UNRWA is central to delivering help at the scale required.
That is why the UK is announcing £23 million of support for UNRWA, alongside international partners, to help sustain its vital work for Palestine refugees across the region and civilians in Gaza.
UNRWA must be able to operate safely and effectively. We condemn the Israeli government in preventing aid agencies like UNRWA to undertake lifesaving work. This means all crossings must be opened, and supplies must be allowed in.”
The UK continues to support UNRWA’s reform and improvement work, including implementation of its Action Plan following the Colonna Report, which set out measures to strengthen neutrality, accountability and integrity across the agency’s operations.
The UK has consistently called for humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza at the scale needed, in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which underscores the importance of the full resumption of humanitarian assistance in coordination with the UN and its partners.
Israel must comply with its obligations to facilitate humanitarian assistance, ensure aid workers can operate safely, and allow UN agencies, including UNRWA, to reach those in need.
The UK remains committed to a negotiated two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for Israelis and Palestinians.
