Pakistan has called on the international community to protect the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from what it describes as a "gravest assault" involving Israeli attacks, a disinformation campaign, and attempts to dismantle the agency.
Ansar Shah, a first secretary in the Pakistan Mission to the United Nations, told the UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee on November 13 that the agency continues to deliver life-saving aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan under "unimaginably dangerous conditions." Shah stated that the agency's work has "not only served the refugees; it has also helped preserve regional stability by averting humanitarian collapse."
Shah highlighted the risks faced by UNRWA staff, noting that nearly 400 workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023 while performing their duties under Israeli military bombing strikes. He described Israeli actions as "part of a broader strategy to erase the identity of the Palestinian people, to deny much-needed humanitarian aid and to extinguish their aspirations for statehood and self-determination."
The Pakistani delegate dismissed Israeli legislation intended to ban UNRWA’s operations, revoke its immunities, and designate it a "terrorist organization." Shah called these moves "a travesty of international law, a violation of the UN Charter, and an affront to this Assembly, which created UNRWA through resolution 302 (IV) of 1949." He further rejected legislative measures adopted in December 2025 and actions against facilities in occupied East Jerusalem, including Sheikh Jarrah, Kalandia, and Shufat, stating they have "no legal validity."
Shah emphasized that national legislation cannot override international law and urged the international community to ensure UNRWA is "protected and enabled to discharge its mandate without hindrance." He also called for addressing a chronic underfunding issue, noting the agency faces a dire financial shortfall of over US$100 million.
Introducing his report, Christian Saunders, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, told the Assembly that Gazans are facing a winter in conditions that "no human being should have to endure." Saunders reported that despite operational constraints, the agency provides services ranging from healthcare to waste management. He noted that since September 2026, more than 117,000 children have participated in learning activities in 85 temporary spaces, with 280,000 children registered on a digital platform.
Saunders reported a budget deficit of $250 million for 2026, which includes a cash flow deficit of approximately $70 million. He stated that he will need to request a loan from the Central Emergency Response Fund to continue paying personnel through the end of the year. Saunders urged delegates to act immediately, stating, "This is not the Agency crying wolf; this is fact."
