The head of the United Nations agency that assists Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has warned that the expected implementation later this month of Israeli legislation aimed at dismantling the agency would be “catastrophic” to humanitarian efforts in Gaza. “A chaotic dismantling of UNRWA will irreversibly harm the lives and future of the Palestinians,” Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told reports at UN Headquarters in New York. “I believe it will obliterate their trust in the international community and any solution it attempts to facilitate.” On October 28, Israel’s parliament adopted legislation to ban the agency in Israel and forbid Israeli officials from having any contact with UNRWA representatives. Israel claims some UNRWA staff participated in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack against the bordering Israeli area. The United Nations investigated the accusations and dismissed nine staffers. However, the UNRWA chief warned of dire consequences, particularly in Gaza, where the agency is the backbone of the humanitarian response. “The disintegration of the agency will intensify the breakdown of social order,” he said. “Dismantling UNRWA now, outside a political process, will undermine the ceasefire agreement and sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition,” he explained. Lazzarini stressed that UNRWA’s unique mandate and capacity to deliver essential services such as education and primary healthcare can not be replicated without a functioning state. The Commissioner-General also highlighted the aggressive disinformation campaign targeting the agency. “Billboards and ads accusing UNRWA of terrorism recently appeared in several cities, including New York,” he said, revealing that they had been paid for by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. He explained that such propaganda endangers UNRWA staff, fuels harassment and erodes trust in the international community’s ability to act. Looking to the future, Lazzarini emphasised the importance of transitioning UNRWA’s services within a defined political framework, as envisioned by the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. “A clear choice lies before us: We can allow UNRWA to implode because of the Knesset legislation and the suspension of funding by key donors, or we can allow the agency to progressively conclude its mandate within a political framework,” he said. He noted that this transition must involve cooperation with empowered Palestinian institutions to avoid chaos and preserve vital services. UNRWA said it is already collaborating with the Palestinian Authority which runs services in the occupied West Bank, to address urgent healthcare and educational needs in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Lazzarini highlighted that the agency remains the largest provider of primary healthcare in Gaza, conducting approximately 17,000 medical consultations daily. It is also the second-largest healthcare provider in the West Bank, after the authorities. On education, he stressed the agency’s critical role in safeguarding the future of Palestinian children, many of whom are now living in the rubble of Gaza. “If we fail to resume education in Gaza, and to preserve it in the West Bank, we will sacrifice an entire generation of Palestinian children,” he warned. Lazzarini drew attention to the agency’s precarious financial position, urging donor countries to increase contributions, disburse allocated funds without delay and review any funding currently on hold. Without immediate financial support, he cautioned, UNRWA’s ability to continue its life-saving work will be at grave risk. The Commissioner-General also told the press that he had urged the Security Council to take decisive action to avert the end of UNRWA’s operations. The U.N. General Assembly created UNRWA in 1949 to help Palestinian refugees who lost their homes and livelihoods because of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that led to the creation of the State of Israel.