UNRWA criticizes Marco Rubio’s remarks

UNRWA asserted that its presence is essential and irreplaceable in delivering humanitarian support to Palestinians.

In a post on its official account on X (formerly Twitter), UNRWA emphasized that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a clear ruling last Wednesday, affirming that no other organization can replace UNRWA in supporting the residents of Gaza. The UN agency described its presence as “vital to meeting the urgent humanitarian needs in the occupied Palestinian territories.”

Rubio’s remarks came during a press conference held at the headquarters of the “US-Israeli Civil-Military Coordination Center” in the Kiryat Gat settlement. He stated that “eight to ten aid organizations will operate in Gaza, but UNRWA will not be among them,” repeating Israeli claims that the agency is “affiliated with Hamas.”

However, these comments contradict the ceasefire plan proposed by US President Donald Trump to end the war in Gaza. Clause 8 of that plan explicitly states that “aid distribution in the Gaza Strip will take place solely through the United Nations and its agencies, the Red Crescent, and internationally neutral organizations.”

Israel had previously made similar accusations against UNRWA, alleging that some of its employees participated in the October 7, 2023, attacks, claims that the agency strongly denied. The International Court of Justice in The Hague affirmed that Israel had not provided any evidence to support those allegations.

Rubio’s comments align with Zionist regime’s continued opposition to UNRWA’s return to operations in Gaza, despite the ICJ’s ruling.

Israeli state broadcaster Kan quoted a government official as saying, “All UN agencies that previously worked in Gaza have failed to perform their tasks effectively.” The official added that Israel had communicated its position to Washington, hoping the US would adopt the same stance.