U.S. Rejects UNRWA Role in Gaza Aid, Sparking Humanitarian and Political Tensions:

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) “will not play any role” in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. Speaking during a visit to Israel on Friday, Rubio also ruled out any future political involvement by Hamas, calling the UN agency a “subsidiary of Hamas” — a claim widely dismissed by international courts and humanitarian officials. Rubio’s comments immediately drew sharp criticism from the United Nations, which insisted that UNRWA remains “vital to meeting urgent humanitarian needs” in Gaza. The agency pointed out that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has recognised that “no organisation can replace UNRWA’s role in supporting the people of Gaza.” UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq rejected Rubio’s remarks, stating that “UNRWA is the backbone of our humanitarian operations in Gaza.” He reminded reporters that the agency has been working in the region for decades, providing education, healthcare, food, and shelter to millions of displaced Palestinians. Despite these reassurances, Israel continues to block UNRWA’s operations, accusing some of its staff of involvement in the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks—a charge for which no public evidence has been presented. The ban has severely hampered aid delivery to the enclave, where an Israeli military campaign has killed more than 68,000 Palestinians over the past two years. UNRWA Under Fire Despite International Backing UNRWA, which runs the largest humanitarian network in Gaza, has already been cleared of wrongdoing by two independent investigations and the ICJ. According to the agency, it employs thousands of local staff who have the data and infrastructure to distribute aid efficiently and fairly. Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh called Rubio’s statement “shocking and devastating,” adding that no other organisation has the capacity or experience to replace UNRWA in Gaza. “It has thousands of employees and decades of knowledge,” she said. “Nobody has that kind of infrastructure or history in Gaza.” Ceasefire Fails to Ease Humanitarian Suffering Although a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect earlier this month, Israeli forces have continued to launch airstrikes and artillery attacks across Gaza. At least two people were killed on Friday in shelling east of Deir el-Balah, according to medical sources. Meanwhile, the Rafah crossing with Egypt remains closed, blocking large-scale aid deliveries that were promised under the truce agreement. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that the volume of humanitarian aid entering Gaza remains far below the agreed level. “The situation still remains catastrophic because what’s entering is not enough,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The UN says Gaza needs at least 600 trucks of aid daily, but that number has not been reached once since the ceasefire began. Search for a Post-War Administration Rubio also mentioned efforts to form an international security force to enforce the ceasefire in Gaza, saying Israel would have the power to veto participants. He said the force should include countries that Israel is “comfortable with.” Meanwhile, in Cairo, Palestinian factions — including Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (PA) — announced an agreement to form a temporary committee of technocrats to govern Gaza and manage basic services with Arab and international support. Hamas spokesperson Husam Badran said all factions have reached a “unified vision” to serve the interests of the Palestinian people. However, on the ground, the situation remains dire. Most homes are destroyed, roads are blocked by debris, and families returning to northern Gaza are finding nothing left of their houses. “We’ve seen people walk for hours, even days, searching for flour or canned food just to survive,” Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud reported from Gaza City. As aid trickles in and political disagreements grow, UN officials warn that sidelining UNRWA could deepen Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe and undermine the fragile ceasefire.

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