{"id":57896,"date":"2024-12-11T09:33:56","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T14:33:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/?p=57896"},"modified":"2024-12-13T12:45:29","modified_gmt":"2024-12-13T17:45:29","slug":"3rd-thursday-alert-call-on-congress-to-restore-and-expand-us-funding-for-unrwa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/3rd-thursday-alert-call-on-congress-to-restore-and-expand-us-funding-for-unrwa\/","title":{"rendered":"3rd Thursday Alert: Call on Congress to restore and expand US funding for UNRWA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an unimaginable scale. Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, including women and children, have lost their lives due to Israel\u2019s sustained military campaign, with the number of casualties growing daily. Schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure have been decimated, leaving Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians\u2014over half of whom are children\u2014without access to basic necessities, medical care, or safe shelter.  Amnesty International concluded<\/a> that Israel is in fact committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malnutrition in Gaza has reached alarming levels, severely impacting children’s development<\/a> and overall well-being. The ongoing conflict and Israel\u2019s blockade have led to widespread food insecurity, with approximately 90% of children <\/a>under <\/a>two years old<\/a> experiencing severe food poverty, consuming less than two food groups daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crisis is exacerbated by limited access to hospitals, healthcare, and essential services, as evidenced by pediatric intensive care physician Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan in her moving testimony<\/a> at the United Nations on Nov. 29, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.  Immediate and sustained humanitarian assistance is crucial to mitigate these impacts and support the health and future of Gaza’s children.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a critical lifeline for millions of Palestinians.\u00a0 UNRWA provides essential services to Palestinian<\/a> refugees in Gaza, as well as in the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebonon.\u00a0 Such services include education, healthcare, food aid, emergency shelter, and social support. UNRWA is also a major employer of Palestinian refugees who are otherwise limited in the jobs they can hold.\u00a0 In March 2024, the U.S. Congress passed a provision<\/a> to suspend all direct U.S. funding to UNRWA until March 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite international demands, Israel has restricted essential aid<\/a> from reaching Gaza. Israel\u2019s blockade, in place since 2007 but intensified after October, 2023, has prevented food, water, and medical supplies from flowing freely into Gaza, compounding the suffering of the population. In an alarming escalation, Israel has imposed a <\/a>ban <\/a>on UNRWA operations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In September, Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN) introduced the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024<\/a> in the House of Representatives.  It has since been co-sponsored by 71 members. This essential piece of legislation calls on the U.S. government to restore and increase funding for UNRWA immediately. By passing this act, Congress would help to ensure that food, medicine, and basic support can reach millions of Palestinians whose lives depend on it. It would also signal the U.S. commitment to protecting international humanitarian law and defending the rights of civilians in conflict zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last month, the US Senate rejected three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval<\/a> that would have blocked parts of $20 billion in arms sales to Israel.  While the US supplies military arms to Israel, it must seek to restrain Israel\u2019s military campaign, and provide robust funding for the humanitarian needs of Palestinians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click here to call on your Congressperson to pass the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024 to push for immediate restoration and expansion of US funding for UNRWA.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sample message:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a person of faith, I am writing to express my deep concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to urge your support for the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024. The situation on the ground is horrific, with countless lives lost and essential infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, destroyed due to Israel\u2019s sustained military campaign which the US continues to fund. Women, children, and other vulnerable civilians are bearing the brunt of this violence, and the numbers continue to climb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel\u2019s actions have led to the decimation of UNRWA facilities and have severely obstructed access to humanitarian aid. Millions of Palestinians are cut off from basic services and critical relief. This is an unacceptable violation of international humanitarian norms and demands a firm response from the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2024 would ensure that UNRWA has the resources needed to provide life-saving assistance to millions of Palestinians in desperate need. By restoring and expanding US funding for this essential organization, Congress can reaffirm its commitment to human rights and humanitarian principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this season of hope, please stand up for the people of Gaza and the values of compassion and justice. Support the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act and advocate for an immediate end to any restrictions on humanitarian aid in Gaza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an unimaginable scale. Tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians, including women and children, have lost their lives due to Israel\u2019s sustained military campaign, with the number of casualties growing daily. Schools, hospitals, and … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20176,"featured_media":38276,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false},"categories":[],"topic":[20282,20450,20278,20314,20417],"region":[20025,20022],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n3rd Thursday Alert: Call on Congress to restore and expand US funding for UNRWA - Global Ministries<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.globalministries.org\/3rd-thursday-alert-call-on-congress-to-restore-and-expand-us-funding-for-unrwa\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"3rd Thursday Alert: Call on Congress to restore and expand US funding for UNRWA - Global Ministries\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an unimaginable scale. 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