UNRWA Distributes $6.6M Cash Aid to Palestinian Refugees in West Bank

UNRWA distributed nearly $6.6 million in cash assistance to over 7,600 Palestinian refugee families across the West Bank in July 2025, addressing mounting humanitarian needs. The aid deliverance, confirmed by multiple media titles and official sources, comes amid deepening regional challenges and funding shortfalls, with robust international partnerships underpinning the agency’s continued relief efforts.

UNRWA Delivers Direct Cash Aid to Thousands of Refugees in West Bank

As reported by AL24 News, in July 2025, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) provided cash assistance to 7,647 families across numerous governorates in the West Bank, channeling a total sum approaching $6.6 million. The assistance aimed primarily to alleviate the rapidly deteriorating socio-economic situation among one of the world’s most vulnerable refugee populations.

Confirming the scale and scope of the recent disbursement, AL24 News noted:

“In July alone, UNRWA provided cash assistance to 7,647 families across various West Bank governorates, totaling nearly $6.6 million. The aid was distributed to help families cope with the adverse effects of instability and economic hardship.”

Current Humanitarian Situation Facing Palestinian Refugees in the West Bank

The situation for Palestinian refugees in the West Bank remains dire, as detailed in the recent Report of the Secretary-General to the United Nations. According to the report, the combination of ongoing home demolitions, movement restrictions, and economic instability has placed severe strain on vulnerable groups.

Highlights from the Secretary-General’s Report:

• Cash assistance reached 6,252 poor families directly in the West Bank, with an additional 2,000 families still on a waiting list due to funding constraints.
• Targeted interventions supported unaccompanied and separated children, with 500 children reunified with their families and 1,500 provided with ongoing support.
• Emergency cash-for-work opportunities targeted 11,334 beneficiaries, supporting livelihoods in both Gaza and the West Bank.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and supporting partners also continue to monitor and address the consequences of ongoing crisis situations, including home demolitions and restricted access to services and employment.

How Was the $6.6 Million in Cash Assistance Distributed?

As explained in coverage by AL24 News, the cash assistance was delivered directly to refugees’ families living in multiple governorates throughout the West Bank, focusing on the most needy. The cash support is vital for day-to-day needs such as food, hygiene, rent and other basic requirements.

The Secretary-General’s recent report further highlights the Department’s focus on the most at-risk households, which encompass those:

• Displaced by housing demolitions.
• Experiencing multiple economic shocks.
• Supporting separated or unaccompanied children.

UNRWA’s microfinance division also issued 1,796 loans totalling over $2.6 million, with 791 loans ($1.13 million) specifically supporting Palestinian refugees and marginalised surrounding communities. These microfinance activities are designed to promote self-sufficiency and resilience, especially during periods of protracted instability.

Why Is This Aid So Critical Now?

As observed by multiple sources, the ongoing conflict, funding gaps, and tightening movement controls have compounded existing hardships. According to reporting in Al Jazeera, UNRWA projected a total humanitarian need of $1.7 billion for 2025, with mounting pressure on services in both Gaza and the West Bank. Any shortfall in funding could translate into serious lapses in food security, healthcare, and access to clean water for refugees.

Al Jazeera reporter staff explained:

“Without adequate funding, UNRWA's life-saving operations—including food aid, healthcare, and access to clean water—could collapse, exacerbating the existing humanitarian crisis.”

Supporting this, OCHA’s records state that the World Food Programme (WFP) reached ~39,845 individuals from Bedouin and herding communities (mostly refugees) with in-kind food support, while WFP and UNRWA continue to pivot between cash-based and in-kind assistance as the situation unfolds.

International Community Providing

According to the European Commission, coordinated donor assistance remains vital. For example, in May 2024 the Commission disbursed €16 million directly to UNRWA for key services in health and education, along with significant additional funding to the Palestinian Authority to bolster critical infrastructure and wage payments.

“The €16 million disbursed to UNRWA will provide basic services such as health and education to Palestinian refugees,” the statement reads.

Similarly, the UK Parliament’s research brief notes that for 2024/25, the UK has committed £129 million in aid, including £34 million specifically for UNRWA. These commitments are part of broader multilateral efforts to sustain humanitarian relief amid persistent budget and operational challenges.

What Obstacles or Risks Does UNRWA Face in Delivering Aid?

Significant operational hurdles remain, as outlined in official UN documents and news reports:

• Movement restrictions and periodic bans have curtailed some field operations, with Israel at times suspending or restricting UNRWA activities.
• Funding shortfalls are now a recurrent theme: the agency disclosed various times—including at a General Assembly Fourth Committee debate—that without emergency contributions, growing cash gaps could imperil services. In November 2021, a $6.6 million cash shortfall was cited as a critical obstacle to normal agency operations.
• According to the Commons Library Briefing, international donors, including the UK, have stepped up monitoring to ensure that aid is appropriately channelled and not diverted.

Broader Impact of the Cash Assistance Programme

Reports from the Office of the Secretary-General and UNRWA itself highlight a series of broader impacts:

• Directly addresses food insecurity and poverty among displaced and at-risk families.
• Stabilises households affected by home demolitions, movement restrictions, and violence.
• Underpins the agency’s broader social protection policies, which now include special support for women-headed households and high-risk children.

Though the cash assistance scheme has faced pressures from external factors—such as funding controversies or operational bans—UNRWA’s partnership model with the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF and other agencies has strengthened the ability to reach populations in need with urgent support and service delivery.

Has UNRWA Faced Any Recent Controversy or Scrutiny?

Several issues over the last year have brought UNRWA’s operations—and its funding—into sharper public and diplomatic focus.

• The UK suspended funding temporarily in January 2024, citing the need for “enhanced scrutiny” following allegations related to agency operations. Funding was later restored.
• Amid wider regional instability, the agency has become a political and operational flashpoint. Coverage by Al Jazeera notes that Israel ordered UNRWA to cease certain operations, a move which humanitarian voices warn could cripple aid to millions in Gaza and the West Bank.

As such, every dollar or pound delivered via direct cash assistance is keenly tracked, with the UK and EU governments stating that none of their funding goes to “designated terrorist groups” and that oversight structures are now stronger than ever.

How Does UNRWA Decide Who Gets Aid?

UNRWA prioritises the most vulnerable groups through a combination of poverty metrics, family status, and exposure to risk (such as families whose homes were recently demolished, or those headed by women).

As stated in the Secretary-General’s report:

• Eligible recipients are identified through detailed registration and living condition assessments.
• In addition to cash aid, UNRWA provides healthcare, education, and microfinance opportunities to refugees and host communities alike, making the agency pivotal to regional social welfare infrastructures.

What Are the Next Steps and Outlook for Aid in the West Bank?

The UN, through its country team and in partnership with the Palestinian Authority and international donors, is committed to strengthening aid delivery and building more inclusive systems for social protection and relief. Coordination efforts have been intensified, including the establishment of a joint operations room in Gaza and the West Bank to ensure more effective humanitarian response.

Looking forward, UNRWA’s prospects for sustaining—and expanding—its cash assistance will depend squarely on donor trust, diplomatic engagement, and ongoing advocacy for humanitarian corridors and safe operational access.