Qatari ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari warned that blocking UNRWA’s support would have "disastrous consequences" and urged the international community not to ignore this disregard for global institutions.
Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, has been involved in negotiations to end the Gaza conflict and establish a prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas. However, these talks have yet to yield results, with each side accusing the other of stalling.
To break the deadlock, the U.S. and Qatar recently initiated new direct discussions in Doha, which are ongoing despite the upcoming U.S. election. Ansari emphasized that Qatar expects institutional commitment from the U.S. in finding a solution, regardless of the election's outcome.
UNRWA has provided critical services such as education, healthcare, and relief to Palestinian refugees for over 70 years. The agency and other humanitarian organizations have criticized Israeli restrictions on aid access to Gaza, where around 2.4 million people have been displaced in the conflict. UNRWA has faced severe losses, with over 220 staff killed and extensive damage to its facilities in Gaza.
Earlier, Israel accused several UNRWA employees of involvement in a Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7. Following investigations, some neutrality concerns were found, and nine employees were identified as possibly linked to the incident, though no solid evidence supported Israel's main allegations.
