Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade to meet with UNRWA

The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade will meet on Tuesday September 23rd for engagement with United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the near East (UNWRA) Deputy Director John Whyte.

The meeting will take place in Committee Room 2 of Leinster House between 15:00-17:00.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy John Lahart said: "We welcome the opportunity to receive an update on the activities of UNRWA in Gaza. UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza, as well as the main provider of education, health and social services in Gaza and the West Bank."

"Throughout the conflict and during the ceasefire period at the beginning of this year, UNRWA reached over two million people with critical food assistance. Since March 2025, however, the Agency has not been allowed by Israel to bring in any humanitarian assistance, including food, and ran out of food stocks inside Gaza at the end of April. The situation in Gaza has been dramatically deteriorating since the imposition by Israel of a blockade on the entry of supplies which is leading to famine in the regions."

"We look forward to discussing the work on UNRWA in Gaza and other related matters."

Watch the meeting live here or on the Oireachtas smartphone app for Apple and Android.