‘No role for UNRWA in Gaza’: Does the Board of Peace toe Israeli lines?

What the report says

The US-led Board of Peace (BoP) said UNRWA will have no role in Gaza, a decision reported by Al Jazeera on 27 September 2026 that echoes long-running Israeli efforts to sideline the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. The board, which has been assigned to oversee the Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction, said it will work only with partners it regards as reliable and able to meet humanitarian needs. It also set out a reconstruction blueprint that left UNRWA off the list of UN agencies identified as partners.

Al Jazeera reported that BoP officials have spoken with UNRWA representatives, but maintained the agency does not meet the board’s standards. UNRWA acting commissioner-general Christian Saunders responded that the agency remains a major humanitarian and strategic resource in Gaza, where it continues to help deliver healthcare, education, water and sanitation. Former UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini warned that removing the agency would have a devastating effect on Palestinians.

Hamas accused the BoP of adopting Israel’s position, saying the move was meant to end UNRWA’s work and weaken Palestinian refugees’ right of return. The article says experts see the BoP’s approach as closely aligned with Israel’s broader goals in Gaza, including linking reconstruction and aid to Hamas disarmament. That remains a major sticking point, with reconstruction still stalled and Israeli forces still controlling large parts of the territory, according to the report.