CAFOD statement on Israel's vote to ban UNRWA

One of UNRWA's destroyed centres. Photo by khalid kwaik on Unsplash

Responding to the news that Israel's parliament has voted to ban the work of UNRWA - the UN's Palestinian refugee agency - Elizabeth Funnell, CAFOD's Country Programme Representative for the Middle East, explains why the decision matters.

She said: "We are deeply concerned about how people will be able to access essential services if this decision comes into force.

"If you're a child in Gaza, it's likely that your school was being run by UNRWA. If you were a pregnant woman, it's likely that your maternity care was being provided by a UNRWA doctor. Now, because of the conflict the schools are being used for shelter and many of the health centres have been destroyed. The work of agencies like CAFOD is crucial, but none of us can compare to the scale with which UNRWA is able to deliver that assistance. UNRWA are providing shelter and food to hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

"As many children in the UK enjoy half-term this week, children in Gaza haven't been able to go to school for over a year. They're hungry and they're thirsty, and the risk of famine remains high.

"UNRWA provides all the logistics to deliver the lifesaving aid that millions of people across the Middle East so desperately need - the fuel for trucks, and the most basic things that make humanitarian aid possible in this very difficult context.

"Without that, it's going to be very challenging."

The prayers of CAFOD supporters really do mean the world to people who feel like they've been forgotten.

Please continue praying for peace, for a just solution and for an end to the conflict which has seen the loss of so many innocent lives.

CAFOD is a member of the Disasters Emergency Coalition Appeal. To support their work see: https://cafod.org.uk/give