'Specter of collapse': What does Israel's ban on UNRWA mean for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza?
'We very much hope this decision will be withdrawn,' UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler says on Israel's looming ban on the agency, set to take effect Thursday- 'If UNRWA cannot work, then we're looking at the specter of the collapse of the humanitarian operation, precisely at the moment where that humanitarian operation must be able to accelerate and grow,' Fowler tells Anadolu- 'The mental scars, the physical scars, the destruction — this is going to be an operation for many, many years,' says Fowler
By Beyza Binnur Donmez
GENEVA (AA) — After over 15 months of devastating Israeli attacks and blockade, hundreds of thousands in Gaza are in dire need of humanitarian aid as much of the enclave they call home lies in ruins.
But it is unclear whether the primary UN relief provider in the Palestinian territories, UNRWA, will be able to handle this task as it faces the prospect of a legal ban by Israel — a decision, set to take effect Thursday, that would affect its operations in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
With the stakes so high, Jonathan Fowler, a spokesman for UNRWA, highlighted that Gaza needs an "exception" for the agency to maintain its crucial work. While still under Israeli siege, significant aid flows have resumed in the enclave since a ceasefire deal with Hamas took effect on Jan. 19.
"We very much hope this decision will be withdrawn," Fowler told Anadolu. "But if it’s not, there will still be some kind of exception (needed) to enable us to continue dealing with the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip."
Despite widespread international opposition, Knesset lawmakers had approved the ban in October, barring UNRWA from maintaining offices, providing services, or carrying out any activities in Israel and severely curtailing its work in Gaza and the West Bank.
According to Fowler, it poses a severe threat to the agency’s ability to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where Israel's now-suspended war has killed more than 47,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023. Israel alleges that some of the UN agency's employees were involved in the Hamas attack — a charge UNRWA denies.
The Israeli onslaught has widespread destruction and a humanitarian crisis that has claimed the lives of many elderly people and children in one of the worst global humanitarian disasters ever.
"There is a very real risk that without exceptions, UNRWA will no longer be able to work," Fowler warns.
He explained that the ban would effectively rule out coordination with Israeli authorities or military, which issue entrance permits for the agency's personnel to work in the West Bank or Gaza. Israel also controls access to Gaza from Egypt, further complicating the situation.
If implemented, the ban would also result in the closure of UNRWA offices and the freezing of its financial accounts in Israel, effectively halting its operations.
Fowler warned of a potential collapse in humanitarian assistance if the restrictions are enforced.
"If UNRWA cannot work, then we're looking at the specter of the collapse of the humanitarian operation, precisely at the moment where that humanitarian operation must be able to accelerate and grow," Fowler warned, referring to the limited window to deliver relief amid the ongoing ceasefire.
UNRWA has a significant presence in the enclave, employing 13,000 staff, including 5,000 operational humanitarians, compared to just 200 personnel from the rest of the UN system.
It has been a lifeline for millions of Palestinian refugees since its establishment in 1949, offering essential services such as education, health care, and food aid to nearly 5.9 million people across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
The agency’s operations are particularly critical in Gaza, home to nearly 2.2 million people living under a blockade, according to the latest figures prior to October 2023.
Fowler stressed the urgency of resolving the issue before the ban's Jan. 30 implementation date. "We can’t predict the future, but as it stands, the situation is extremely risky," he said.
- Humanitarian operation will take 'many, many years'
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza will require sustained, long-term efforts, Fowler said.
Discussing the scale of aid needed, he noted that the current agreement allows for the delivery of 600 trucks per day, exceeding the initial minimum of 500 trucks required to meet survival needs since the war began.
However, he stressed that conditions in Gaza have worsened dramatically since the Israeli attacks began, as many in the enclave have suffered severe injuries with minimal medical care, widespread starvation, a lack of clean water and sanitation, and harsh winter conditions without adequate shelter.
“Everything beyond that has to keep increasing,” he noted, underscoring the need for commercial goods alongside humanitarian aid. “In any humanitarian disaster, the economy needs to revive, and that means commercial supplies must go hand-in-hand with humanitarian supplies.”
Acknowledging the enormous challenges ahead, Fowler warned that recovery efforts would span years.
"The mental scars, the physical scars, the destruction — this is going to be an operation for many, many years. At what stage will we move out of what we might consider humanitarianism? I think we're going to be there for the long term," he said.
- North Gaza is 'biggest area of concern'
Fowler described northern Gaza as the epicenter of the crisis, warning that conditions there remain dire.
"The North is the biggest area of concern because that's where people in the most desperate conditions (have) found themselves," he explained.
He explained that UNRWA had been effectively barred from operating in northern Gaza since early 2024, leaving the World Food Program to take the lead in humanitarian efforts. "Parts of the north were inaccessible, almost completely to all humanitarians for many, many weeks," he said.
While access has improved slightly, the situation remains critical. He noted that famine-like conditions have taken hold in the region, where "all of the worst of the worst" suffering is concentrated.
- Ceasefire brings opportunity, but challenges remain
Despite the challenges, Fowler said the recent ceasefire presents an opportunity to ramp up aid efforts — but only if systemic barriers are addressed.
"What we have to ensure is that funding is consistent and that people understand that a ceasefire is just the first step towards alleviating the absolute misery of the population of the Gaza Strip," Fowler said. "In the immediate term, that means governments need to allocate funds, emergency funding, emergency donations, to permit an operation to increase multi-fold."
He called for the removal of logistical obstacles, such as border restrictions, to streamline aid delivery. "Everything has to be made much, much simpler," he stressed.
While some progress has been made, with greater freedom of movement, Fowler warned that this "cannot just be a sort of temporary respite."
"We cannot morally put the population of the Gaza Strip back in the position it has been in for the past 15 months," he said. "That level of human suffering is absolutely shocking."
The ongoing focus, according to Fowler, is on delivering basic survival necessities such as food, water, shelter materials, and warm clothing. He underscored the importance of supporting all actors involved in the humanitarian operation, including UNRWA, other UN agencies, and international NGOs.
"The entire humanitarian operation relies on our logistical chain," he explained. “The question is how quickly impediments can be removed and how we can scale up the operation in a very short space of time."
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