Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ahmet Yıldız, warned on Tuesday that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) is facing unprecedented political attacks aimed at undermining its work.
Speaking at the General Assembly Ad Hoc Committee’s announcement of voluntary contributions to UNRWA, Yıldız said the agency continues to face both financial and political challenges despite its critical humanitarian role.
“For over 75 years, UNRWA has remained an indispensable pillar of stability, dignity, and hope, providing education, health care, food assistance, social services, emergency relief, shelter, and protection to nearly six million Palestinian refugees,” he said.
“Today, however, chronic financial shortfalls continue to undermine the agency’s ability to provide essential services. Simultaneously, UNRWA has come under unprecedented political pressure, including systematic campaigns to undermine its credibility, question its legitimacy and constrain its operations,” he added.
Established by the UN General Assembly in 1949, UNRWA continues to provide humanitarian assistance, education, health care and social services to Palestinian refugees across the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Yıldız praised UNRWA staff for their work under “extraordinarily difficult” circumstances and paid tribute to employees who have been killed while carrying out their duties.
The ambassador also condemned Israel’s actions against the agency, saying Türkiye denounces “Israel’s attacks on UNRWA personnel and premises, and obstructions on UNRWA’s activities in Gaza and occupied Palestinian territories.”
“These are blatant violations of international law,” he said, adding that Israel’s actions seek “to deprive Palestinian refugees of their right to return to their land.”
As chair of the Working Group on the Financing of UNRWA, Yıldız reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to helping secure the agency’s long-term financial sustainability.
“I am pleased to announce that we have already contributed $10 million to UNRWA for 2026,” he said.
