Board of Peace says ‘UNRWA has no place in the new Gaza,’ sparking outcry from PA

The US-led Board of Peace overseeing the postwar management of Gaza indicates that the UN agency for Palestinian refugees will not be allowed to play a future role in Gaza.

“UNRWA has no place in the new Gaza. We are turning the page on the complex of perpetual aid dependency and conflict. The people of Gaza deserve better,” the Board of Peace tweets.

It appears to be the first time that the Board of Peace has voiced its stance regarding UNRWA, which Israel and the US argue has become an irredeemable organization due to its ties to Hamas.

Israel has taken measures to limit UNRWA’s ability to operate in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, but its infrastructure continues to be used to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid in the Strip.

UNRWA has no place in the new Gaza. We are turning the page on the complex of perpetual aid dependency & conflict. The people of Gaza deserve better. https://t.co/MttkJqX1Np

— Board of Peace (@BoardOfPeace) July 1, 2026

The statement from the Board of Peace sparks outcry from the Palestinian Authority’s foreign ministry, which stresses the importance of UNRWA’s work in providing for Palestinians.

The PA statement also “rejects all terminology aimed at fragmenting Palestinian Territory, including the term ‘New Gaza,’ which seeks to isolate the Gaza Strip from its natural surroundings, as well as the term ‘the people of Gaza.’ It stressed that the Palestinian people are one people in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem and the diaspora, and affirmed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied territory of the State of Palestine.”

However, the PA statement was careful to reiterate Ramallah’s support for US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza as well as the establishment of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), which is tasked with running the Strip in place of Hamas until the PA has carried out necessary reforms.