The acting head of UNRWA, Christian Saunders, warned the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that the agency is near collapse due to a $100 million funding gap, driven by the Gaza war and West Bank violence. Austerity measures have already cut service hours by a fifth, reduced Palestinian staff salaries, and left many international posts unfilled. UN Secretary‑General António Guterres then voiced alarm that this cash shortage threatens the agency’s ability to carry out its mission—a mandate overwhelmingly renewed by member states six months ago and essential for 2.6 million Palestinian refugees. Without urgent backing, he said, the agency cannot sustain operations that provide healthcare, water, and education across the region.