(Washington, D.C., 12/17/2025) – The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) has joined UNRWA USA National Committee and a national coalition of 104 civil society, humanitarian, faith-based, and human rights organizations in urging the Trump Administration to include the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in plans for Gaza’s recovery.
In a joint letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the coalition called on the Administration to re-open lines of communication with UNRWA and allow the Agency to continue fulfilling its mandate in accordance with international humanitarian principles until a just and lasting solution for Palestine refugees is secured.
UNRWA remains the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza, with approximately 12,000 local staff delivering life-saving services daily, including 40 percent of all primary healthcare in the Gaza Strip. Four independent investigations have affirmed UNRWA’s neutrality, despite ongoing political efforts to sideline the Agency and block critical humanitarian funding from the United States.
The coalition effort was spearheaded by UNRWA USA National Committee, alongside organizations including Refugees International, the Arab American Institute, Friends Committee on National Legislation, A New Policy, and dozens of national and grassroots partners. USCMO joined the effort as part of its continued advocacy for Palestinian human rights and accountability in U.S. foreign policy.
Humanitarian and policy experts warned that excluding UNRWA would have consequences far beyond immediate relief. Advocates emphasized that sidelining the Agency would undermine humanitarian effectiveness, exacerbate suffering, and jeopardize long-term regional stability and any credible ceasefire or reconstruction process.
Faith-based and humanitarian leaders further stressed that UNRWA’s decades of experience serving Palestinian refugees cannot be replaced. Political attacks and disinformation campaigns targeting the Agency, advocates noted, have come at the expense of humanitarian necessity during an unprecedented crisis.
USCMO calls on the Trump Administration to restore engagement with UNRWA and urges Congress to pass the UNRWA Emergency Funding Restoration Act to ensure the Agency can continue its indispensable humanitarian mission. USCMO also encourages grassroots advocates nationwide to contact their elected officials, support legislative efforts to restore funding, and push back against misinformation about UNRWA’s work.
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