The January 14 announcement of the new Palestinian technical committee to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction comes at a critical moment. While states are discussing the governance and reconstruction of Gaza, on the ground, the basic survival of 2.1 million people hangs by a thread. This moment demands immediate action to lift the ongoing and suffocating restrictions that are systematically dismantling the very means for Palestinians to survive.

Famine conditions in Gaza have moderately stabilised, but the humanitarian catastrophe continues to deepen. Families remain displaced without adequate shelter; children still go to bed hungry; and basic healthcare is out of reach for hundreds of thousands.

Winter rains have turned displacement camps into seas of mud, exacerbating suffering and significantly increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. Daily Israeli air attacks and bombardments continue, with more than 500 Palestinians killed since the ceasefire agreement was announced in October. This month alone, seven UNRWA school compounds in eastern Gaza have been demolished by Israeli forces.

UNRWA remains Gaza’s largest and most comprehensive service provider, effectively acting as the public sector for more than half the population. Our 11,000 staff continue to operate despite immense risks, as they have done each day since October 7, 2023.

They are providing healthcare to almost 100,000 people each week and education to 70,000 children in damaged school premises across Gaza. Our schools also shelter tens of thousands of displaced families.

UNRWA teams essentially function like a local municipality; we........

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