[News] UNRWA criticizes Marco Rubio’s remarks and reaffirms its vital role in Gaza

[Anti-Imperialist News]

 News <https://english.palinfo.com/category/news/>
UNRWA criticizes Marco Rubio’s remarks and reaffirms its vital role in Gaza

Friday 24-October-2025
<https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/10/24/350428/#>
<https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/10/24/350428/#>
<https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/10/24/350428/#>
<https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/10/24/350428/#>
<https://english.palinfo.com/news/2025/10/24/350428/#>

GAZA, (PIC)

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)
has criticized US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statements in which he
declared that the agency “will have no role in relief operations in the
Gaza Strip.”

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 Israel’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.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://freedomarchives.org/pipermail/news_freedomarchives.org/attachments/20251024/04bf8c42/attachment-0001.htm>