Board of Peace Met With UNRWA Despite Stated Gaza Role, Ex-Agency Chief Says
Behind closed doors, members of the U.S.-created Board of Peace have engaged with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, contradicting public statements that the agency has no place in Gaza's reconstruction, according to the agency's former head.
Despite public declarations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has no role in Gaza's reconstruction, members of the U.S.-created Board of Peace have met with the agency multiple times, according to Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA's former head. These behind-the-scenes discussions suggest a more complex engagement than publicly presented, as the Board of Peace advances its plans for rebuilding the territory.
Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA of being infiltrated by Hamas militants, though the International Court of Justice has stated these allegations are unsubstantiated. Nevertheless, Israel desires the agency's removal from Gaza. UNRWA remains the primary aid provider in the territory, playing a critical role in health and education services.
Lazzarini, who departed UNRWA in March, told The Associated Press that members of the Palestinian technocratic committee, chosen by the Board of Peace to eventually govern Gaza, have expressed a desire to work with UNRWA. Minutes from meetings shared with the AP indicate discussions between UNRWA and the committee about collaboration on Gaza's reconstruction plans.
A Board of Peace official confirmed the meetings but emphasized that the agency's "days are over." However, the official added that its programs "may persist if they are serving Gazans well," provided employees pass vetting and do not advance ideological or Hamas interests. Israel's foreign ministry did not comment on these remarks.
Reconstruction efforts in Gaza have stalled for nearly a year since the ceasefire. Israel is currently preventing the entry of the Palestinian committee into the strip, citing Hamas's need to disarm first. The Board of Peace states it can only fully implement its reconstruction plans once the committee is on the ground.
In the interim, UNRWA continues its operations in Gaza, employing approximately 11,000 Palestinian staff. According to Lazzarini, the agency supports about half of Gaza's public health system. UNRWA provides daily medical appointments for around 14,000 individuals, manages water and waste systems for over a million Palestinians, and runs educational programs for more than 280,000 children. Lazzarini stressed UNRWA's essential role in aid delivery, stating, "If you want the vaccine to end up in the mouths of the children, you still need the workforce, the presence of an agency like ours."
Publicly, UNRWA has not been included in the Board of Peace's reconstruction strategy. However, Lazzarini reported that the Palestinian committee has acknowledged UNRWA's necessity for planning efforts. Senior U.N. officials, speaking anonymously, corroborated multiple meetings between UNRWA and the committee, with at least three confirmed this year. A readout from an April meeting indicated the Palestinian committee saw UNRWA as a potential leader in reconstructing refugee camps.
Lazzarini also recounted a conversation with Ali Shaath, the leader of the Palestinian committee, who reportedly said, "I don’t know how I can succeed without you." An internal U.N. document from a January meeting in Cairo, though not including UNRWA, noted Shaath praising the agency and suggesting the committee's system would build upon its existing work.
The Tony Blair Institute, a partner of the Board of Peace, also sought UNRWA's assistance. At a June 30 pledging conference, UNRWA's acting chief, Christian Saunders, called the agency "vital" for the Board of Peace and the Palestinian committee's efforts.
Lazzarini described the situation as an "absurd contradiction," where the Board of Peace publicly dismisses UNRWA while U.N. member states expect the agency to continue its essential functions. UNRWA was established in 1948 to assist Palestinians displaced during the war surrounding Israel's creation.
In January 2024, Israel alleged that hundreds of militants worked for UNRWA and that over a dozen employees participated in the Oct. 7 attacks, though it provided no proof. Lazzarini confirmed firing accused employees, citing the agency's best interests, and noted he faced significant backlash for the decision.
Lazzarini is set to publish a book titled “A Witness to Gaza: What Cannot Be Erased" later this year.