**Date: 17/2/2026**
* Opening UNRWA’s office in Ankara marks a strategic turning point in advocacy efforts and in addressing the agency’s existential challenges.
* He commended Turkey’s firm annual commitment of $10 million to support UNRWA, calling for an increase in contributions.
* He stressed the importance of sustaining relief and development interventions led by the Turkish Red Crescent and TİKA.
* He warned of a potential paralysis of UNRWA services and praised Turkish support for shelters in the Gaza Strip.
Dr. Ahmed Abu Holi, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Head of the Department of Refugee Affairs, met with the Turkish Ambassador to the State of Palestine, Ismail Oglu, to discuss Turkish funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), ways to address its escalating financial crisis and existential challenges, the systematic Israeli targeting, military escalation in refugee camps in the northern West Bank, and the ongoing crimes and repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
During the meeting, held today at the Department of Refugee Affairs headquarters in Ramallah, the two officials discussed prospects for enhancing sustainable Turkish funding and maintaining relief and development interventions led by the Turkish Red Crescent and the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA).
Abu Holi praised Turkey’s steadfast annual financial commitment of $10 million for 2026 in support of UNRWA’s budget, and welcomed the opening of UNRWA’s representative office in Ankara earlier this year as a regional operational and strategic hub for advocacy and resource mobilization. He commended the humanitarian role of the Turkish Red Crescent and the development projects implemented by TİKA, which included the rehabilitation and equipping of 18 UNRWA facilities across its areas of operation, providing them with solar energy and modern technologies, benefiting more than 150,000 Palestinian refugees in 2025.
Abu Holi briefed the Turkish ambassador on UNRWA’s severe financial deficit, which has reached $384 million for 2026, warning of the repercussions of some donors reducing their contributions by 50 percent on essential and emergency services for Palestinian refugees, as well as on staff salaries and rights. He also highlighted the dangers of Israeli legislation aimed at banning UNRWA’s operations in occupied Jerusalem and undermining its mandate in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, alongside the military escalation in northern West Bank camps, stressing that these measures threaten regional stability and seek to liquidate the refugee issue.
He addressed the labor dispute between UNRWA management and the staff union resulting from recent decisions by the Commissioner-General, which included mass layoffs and a 20 percent reduction in salaries and working hours. He emphasized the importance of resolving these issues through constructive dialogue between the agency’s management and the staff union to ensure continuity of services and protection of employees’ rights in line with labor standards and international conventions.
Dr. Abu Holi reviewed the repercussions of the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip, noting that the ceasefire agreement has not ended the tragedy, as massive destruction of infrastructure has doubled the burden on UNRWA, with 1.9 million displaced Palestinians living in tents and shelters. He stressed the urgent need for international action to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, protect civilians, and compel Israel to adhere to the ceasefire terms and refrain from repeated violations.
He also addressed the military assault on refugee camps in the northern West Bank and Israel’s plans behind the aggression, aimed at emptying the camps and erasing the living testimony of the crime committed in 1948, particularly following announcements of expanding military operations to new camps in the southern West Bank. He warned of the repercussions for regional stability amid worsening living conditions for more than 45,000 displaced persons from the Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams camps in the northern West Bank.
Abu Holi called on Turkey to strengthen its strategic partnership with UNRWA by increasing its financial contributions and signing a multi-year funding agreement to ensure sustainability. He also urged Turkish authorities to activate a religious ruling permitting the allocation of zakat funds to UNRWA and to establish “Turkish national committees” to mobilize public and institutional resources.
He further called for focusing Turkish Red Crescent and TİKA support on northern West Bank camps and shelters in the Gaza Strip, affirming that Turkey’s support reinforces refugee resilience and protects their right to dignity until a just and comprehensive solution to their cause is achieved.
For his part, the Turkish ambassador expressed appreciation for the comprehensive briefing provided by Dr. Abu Holi regarding the situation of UNRWA and the conditions in refugee camps. He affirmed that Turkey’s support for UNRWA goes beyond the annual $10 million financial contribution and includes sustained in-kind assistance, particularly flour supplies and relief initiatives, including the provision of 1,000 meals daily during the month of Ramadan through the Deniz Feneri Association to support refugees in the Gaza Strip.
The ambassador stressed his country’s commitment to supporting UNRWA’s mandate and working with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to raise international awareness of the agency’s importance. He recalled Turkey’s position regarding Israeli violations, referring to joint statements issued in cooperation with several Islamic countries condemning the demolition of parts of UNRWA’s headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah and rejecting recent Israeli laws targeting the agency.
He also emphasized the strategic importance of opening UNRWA’s representative office in Ankara, noting that all proposals and requests presented by Abu Holi would be conveyed to the Turkish government. He affirmed enhanced coordination with Turkish institutions to send additional projects to the camps, including Shuafat Camp, and reiterated Turkey’s continued commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and their just cause.
