“JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees announced on Monday that it has run out of money to pay the salaries of its staff across the Middle East, after two years of funding cuts by the United States and some other donors.”

“The Australian Government’s recent decision to cut funding to UNRWA from $20 million in 2019–2020 to $10 million in 2020–2021 is regrettable and will have a considerable impact on both the livelihoods of Palestinian refugees and the stability of the Middle East region.”

"It is also a sector where change and challenges are constant. Every year brings new technological and scientific advances, new risks and threats to public health, and ever greater societal expectations for higher standards of health. As their main comprehensive primary health care provider, UNRWA has played a key role in promoting the health and well-being of millions of Palestine refugees over the past 70 years."

"UNRWA operates 709 elementary and preparatory schools in its five fields of operation, including eight secondary schools in Lebanon, providing free basic education for over 530,000 Palestine refugee children. Pupils in UNRWA schools follow the host countries’ national curricula and textbooks, which the Agency enriches to encourage the development of critical thinking skills, empathy and tolerance."

"“Among other things, the destruction of private property in occupied territory is only permissible where rendered absolutely necessary for military operations, which is not applicable”, said Jamie McGoldrick, UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Gwyn Lewis, Director of West Bank Operations for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and James Heenan, Head of the UN Human Rights Office in the area."