The disruption lasted for nearly four months, inflicting severe hardships on the refugee communities. Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, expressed relief and underscored the impact the strike had on Palestine Refugees since its initiation on March 4.

Lazzarini stated: “We are relieved that UNRWA is now able to restart providing services to the refugee communities across the West Bank. Palestine Refugees have been severely impacted by the strike, which started on 4 March.”

UNRWA teams are diligently preparing facilities and installations across the West Bank to return to normal operations as early as next week. Education and health services have been given top priority, with efforts focused on cleaning, waste disposal, building maintenance, security measures, and stocking up on essential supplies such as medicines and sanitation materials. Once the preparations are complete, UNRWA facilities will reopen for services, with some expected to resume operations as early as tomorrow.

“Our top priority right now is to reopen 90 UNRWA schools, so that more than 40,000 children who were on the verge of losing a whole school year and are at risk of dropping out, will be able to catch up on education losses and move to the next levels,” added Lazzarini.

The resumption of services follows extensive discussions with multiple parties over the past few months. Lazzarini expressed gratitude to those who contributed to resolving the disruptive situation, giving special recognition to the UNRWA West Bank team, led by Adam Bouloukos, the Director of UNRWA West Bank Affairs. He also acknowledged the unwavering dedication of Palestinian staff members who did not participate in the strike, as well as international staff who played a crucial role in managing the crisis. The Commissioner-General extended his thanks to the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization for their positive engagement, highlighting the significant involvement of President Abbas at critical junctures.

“I would like to pay tribute to all those who helped and supported us reach a resolution of the disruptive situation. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the exceptional contribution of the UNRWA West Bank team led by Adam Bouloukos, the Director of UNRWA West Bank Affairs, Palestinian staff who did not go on strike and international staff who helped manage the crisis. My colleagues showed extraordinary commitment to UNRWA and to Palestine Refugees throughout the strike. I would also like to thank the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization, whose positive role came from the highest levels, His Excellency President Abbas who personally intervened at key moments,” expressed the Commissioner-General.

This resumption of UNRWA services in the West Bank brings a glimmer of hope to Palestine Refugees, enabling them to access essential education and health services that were temporarily disrupted. The efforts to recover lost educational opportunities and mitigate the risk of dropout are expected to have a profound and positive impact on the lives of thousands of Palestinian children. (ILKHA)