Norway has pledged a USD 24.5 million (NOK 275 million) contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), emphasizing the urgent need for international support as the agency faces severe challenges in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide expressed the gravity of the situation, stating, “Gaza is in ruins, and UNRWA is needed more than ever. The fact that Israeli laws, which can effectively prevent UNRWA from operating in Palestine, are coming into force is extremely dramatic.”
The new Israeli laws, which took effect on January 30, could severely limit UNRWA’s operations in Palestine, putting millions of refugees at risk of losing vital services, including education, healthcare, and food aid.
Minister of International Development Anne Beathe Kristiansen Tvinnereim highlighted the immense needs in Gaza, with approximately one million people relying entirely on UNRWA for basic services. “If UNRWA must halt its operations in Palestine, 330,000 children and young people in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, will lose the opportunity to attend school,” she said.
Norway has also called for the International Court of Justice to clarify Israel’s legal obligations under international law to ensure the continued provision of emergency aid and services to Palestinians. The resolution, adopted by the UN General Assembly, was supported by 137 member states.
Eide stressed the importance of upholding the international community’s commitment to Palestine refugees, noting, “We cannot abandon this responsibility now.”
UNRWA, established in 1949, has been crucial in delivering aid to Gaza and other Palestinian regions, responsible for 60 percent of food deliveries since the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
