Widespread anger in Gaza as UNRWA stands down hundreds of staff

In a move that sparked widespread condemnation, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced the dismissal of hundreds of employees from the Gaza Strip, most of whom work in the education and services sectors. The decision included employees who were outside the Strip on special leave imposed by Israel’s ongoing genocide, which the employees’ union and human rights activists considered an arbitrary decision and a violation of employment rights.

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The decision comes at a time when the Gaza Strip is suffering from an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with tens of thousands of people losing their sources of income and the social and economic infrastructure deteriorating as a result of the war and the blockade. Around 600 employees left the Strip during the war for Egypt and other Arab and European countries in search of safety or medical treatment, and were unable to return due to the closure of the crossings, especially the Rafah land crossing.

UNRWA has a total of around 12,000 employees in Gaza, thousands of whom continued to provide services despite the war. Experts emphasise that the decision not only affects the dismissed employees, but also threatens the future of educational and relief services in the Strip and increases the fragility of Palestinian society.

Anger

The Arab Staff Union at UNRWA described the decision as ‘systematic administrative execution,’ stressing that the employees did not leave the Strip of their own accord, but were forced to do so to escape the bombing. The union demanded that the dismissal decisions be revoked immediately, that the employees be reinstated, and that their entitlements be paid in full.

The 302 Committee for the Protection of Refugee Rights affirmed that the current phase is the worst in UNRWA’s history, holding its Commissioner-General responsible for the ‘unprecedented decline’ in the agency’s performance and warning that the next phase could be even worse if the course is not corrected.

The Human Rights Protection Centre warned that the decision exacerbates the vulnerability of employees and their families, threatens the right to education of millions of Palestinian children, and turns UNRWA’s financial crisis into a real humanitarian disaster.

The centre also considered that attributing the cause of the financial crisis to international funding failures does not justify burdening employees with the consequences, calling for the immediate reversal of the decision and the opening of an independent investigation under the supervision of United Nations bodies.

Financial difficulties

UNRWA is suffering from severe financial hardship after the United States stopped funding it and it became dependent on funding from Arab and other countries, while the Israeli occupation continued to restrict the agency’s work and exert political pressure, including a bill in the Knesset that would ban its activities inside Israel.

The UN General Assembly extended UNRWA’s mandate for three years in December 2025, in a move seen as international support for the agency.

UNRWA’s dismissal of hundreds of Gaza employees, amid a severe humanitarian crisis, has angered the local community, trade unions and human rights organisations, who consider the decision a violation of employment rights and a threat to the continuity of refugee services.

Experts have also warned that the continuation of these policies could lead to a further deterioration in education and basic services in Gaza. But of course, it is Israel ultimately to blame for this disastrous move.

Featured image via the Canary