The Action Group | Syria
The United States’ suspension of its financial assistance to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), amounting to approximately $422 million, has led to a severe crisis in the provision of health services to Palestinian refugees.
This suspension, which came in the wake of Israeli accusations that some UNRWA staff participated in the October 7 attacks, prompted several other Western countries to take similar steps, resulting in a funding gap estimated at $450 million in the agency’s 2024 budget.
As a result of this severe funding shortfall, UNRWA has been forced to reduce its health services in Syria, including dividing surgical procedures into “cold” and “hot” operations. “Cold” operations, which can be postponed, are no longer supported by the agency, while “hot” operations, which are emergency, continue to be supported.
This crisis comes at a critical time, as UNRWA relies on international funding to provide its essential services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Agency officials stress that the continued suspension of funding could lead to the collapse of vital services, exacerbating the suffering of refugees and threatening regional stability.
UNRWA called on the international community to reconsider the decision to suspend funding and work to ensure the continued provision of essential services to Palestinian refugees, particularly in the areas of health, education, and humanitarian relief.