Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi received UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and an accompanying delegation for discussions on the situation of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, as well as the financial and political challenges facing the agency amid ongoing Israeli attempts to undermine its work.

Raggi underscored the critical importance of ensuring UNRWA’s continued operations and securing the necessary funding to maintain its essential services, particularly in education and healthcare, until a just solution is reached and refugees are able to return to Palestine.

Moreover, Raggi stressed that Lebanon’s diplomacy is fully engaged in mobilizing international support to safeguard UNRWA’s mandate and sustain its services. The minister emphasized that the agency’s presence is fundamental to stability both within the Palestinian camps and across Lebanon more broadly.

The meeting also reviewed the dire humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially Gaza, and the mounting obstacles facing UNRWA as it works to fulfill its mission.