In refugee camps in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinians relying on the UN agency United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) for schooling and healthcare fear key services will stop as donors have paused funding over accusations staff members took part in Hamas’ Oct 7 attack, Reuters reports.
Most of the focus on the fate of the UN aid agency for Palestinians has been on its emergency operations in conflict-hit Gaza where it is critical to an aid effort for the enclave’s 2.3 million inhabitants.
“If they cut off aid from UNRWA, there will be no help of any kind for residents, especially in refugee camps because they rely on UNRWA,” said Mohammad al-Masri, a resident of Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem.
Daoud Faraj was 10 years old when his family became refugees. Now 85, he has lived most of his life in the West Bank’s Aida refugee camp near Jerusalem.
“Cutting off aid will hurt many people. Not only me,” he said, referring to the health services and schools that UNRWA manages in the camp.