UNRWA in Gaza faces US-backed Peace Council push to end agency

The US‑backed "Peace Council" led by former President Donald Trump announced a plan to end the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, arguing that the sector should move from a permanent aid model to "sustainable development". Palestinian groups, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, denounced the proposal as a political scheme aimed at erasing refugee rights, stating that UNRWA remains “a witness to the international community’s responsibility”. The council’s statement declared, “No place for UNRWA in the new Gaza,” while UN Secretary‑General António Guterres warned that UNRWA faces a severe funding shortfall that threatens services for millions of refugees.

At the same time, humanitarian convoys continue to enter Gaza via the Rafah crossing, delivering over 3,000 tonnes of food, medical supplies and shelter materials. A U.S. draft document proposes a reconstruction plan that includes water, electricity and telecom infrastructure, the release of withheld Palestinian tax revenues, and the possible deployment of an international peace‑keeping force. International bodies, such as a World Peace Council meeting in Cyprus, are reviewing the political and humanitarian pathways for Gaza’s post‑war recovery, balancing aid delivery with broader settlement discussions.