The International Commission to Support Palestinian Rights (HICHR) warned on Thursday against UNRWA’s decision to terminate nearly 600 employees in Gaza, most of them teachers, calling the move an arbitrary mass dismissal that violates international labor and human rights standards.
HICHR said UNRWA is facing a systematic political campaign led by Israel aimed at undermining its mandate, drying up its funding, and weakening its presence amid the ongoing war on Gaza. It added that the dismissed staff are themselves victims of displacement and loss, now left without income or social protection.
The organization warned the decision threatens the right to education for hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugee children and jeopardizes UNRWA’s ability to restart schooling in the future.
HICHR demanded the immediate reversal of the decision and full reinstatement of the employees, and called on the UN Secretary-General and relevant agencies to intervene, ensure proper funding, and investigate the legality of the dismissals.
