This came in a speech he delivered on Tuesday during a donors' conference to support UNRWA, held at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
As chairman of the UNRWA funding working group, Yildiz expressed his appreciation to the countries that have provided political and financial support to the agency, and he saluted its staff who continue to work in extremely difficult conditions, and those who have lost their lives while performing their duties.
He noted that for more than 75 years, UNRWA has been a cornerstone of stability, dignity and hope, by providing education, health care, food, social services, emergency relief, shelter and protection to some 6 million Palestinian refugees.
He added that the chronic financial deficit continues to undermine the agency's ability to perform its duties, saying: "UNRWA is under unprecedented political pressure, including organized campaigns to undermine its credibility, question its legitimacy, and restrict its activities. No humanitarian organization should be operating in such dangerous circumstances."
Yildiz condemned the Israeli attacks on UNRWA staff and facilities, and the obstruction of its activities in the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories, considering these practices to be a "flagrant violation of international law."
He added that these attacks "clearly seek to deny Palestinian refugees their right to return to their lands," noting that UNRWA was established by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, and its mandate has been renewed repeatedly, making supporting it and protecting its work a shared legal, political and moral responsibility of member states.
Yildiz announced that Türkiye had made a financial contribution of $10 million to support UNRWA during 2026.
UNRWA was established in 1949 by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly to provide assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The agency is facing increasing pressure in light of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, while Israel accuses it of providing support to Hamas through some of its employees, which the agency denies, while the United Nations affirms its commitment to neutrality.
