Israel officially announces termination of UNRWA operations to UN
According to Axios, Israel has officially notified the United Nations that it is revoking the agreement that governs the activities of UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza.
UNRWA warns that this ban on its operations will lead to further suffering for Palestinians.
Barak Ravid, a reporter for Axios, published an image of a letter from the Israeli Foreign Ministry to UN officials, stating that the law previously passed by the Knesset to prohibit UNRWA’s activities will take effect after a three-month period.
During this time and afterwards, Israel stated it would continue to work with international partners, including other UN agencies, to facilitate humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza in a manner that does not compromise Israel’s security. Israel expects the UN to cooperate and participate in these efforts.
Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner-General, announced that Israel’s ban on the agency will lead to increased suffering for Palestinians.
He told the Associated Press that the new laws effectively prohibiting UNRWA’s activities in Israel will create a void, resulting in more casualties and greater instability in Gaza and the West Bank.
UNRWA was established in 1949 to support Palestinian refugees and began its operations in several host countries.
Israel has long protested UNRWA’s activities and has claimed, without sufficient evidence, that 12 of the agency’s thousands of employees were involved in Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel.
The revocation of UNRWA’s operational agreement by Israel poses serious challenges for humanitarian assistance in the region.
As the agency plays a critical role in supporting Palestinian refugees, the decision may exacerbate existing hardships and deepen the humanitarian crisis. The international community must closely monitor the situation to ensure that vital aid continues to reach those in need.
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