Israel passed a law on Monday, the 28th of October, banning the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) from operating on its territory, citing the alleged involvement of some UNRWA staff in the 2023 attacks and their links to Hamas and other armed groups. The move will affect the agency’s activities in Gaza and has raised concerns among the UN and Western allies about the deteriorating conditions in Gaza, although the ban does not apply to the Gaza Strip, according to Reuters and Politico.
“UNRWA staff involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on X.
“As it is also essential to avoid a humanitarian crisis, sustainable humanitarian access must be maintained in the Gaza Strip now and in the future,” he wrote, adding that 90 days before and after the law comes into force, Israel stands ready to work with international partners “to ensure that Israel continues to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza in a manner that does not endanger Israel’s security”.
The Parliament also adopted an addendum to the law stating that
the Israeli authorities may no longer maintain contact with UNRWA, although exceptions could be made in the future.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, called the vote a “dangerous precedent” that contravenes the UN Charter and violates Israel’s obligations under international law.
“This is the latest in an ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimise its role in providing human development assistance and services to Palestinian refugees,” he wrote on X.
Israel and UNRWA have a history of acrimony which has escalated since the 7th of October 2023. Several European countries suspended funding to UNRWA after Israel claimed that some of its staff were involved in Hamas attacks.
After most countries restored funding to the agency, a UN investigation found that nine staff members “may have been involved in the 7th of October 2023 Hamas-led attacks against Israel” and all nine were fired.
Israel has killed at least 230 UNRWA staff in its military campaigns in Gaza.
The UN said on Monday that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is grave and deteriorating, with Israel preventing aid workers from reaching people trapped under rubble over the weekend. The enclave is facing starvation as half of Gaza’s population faces catastrophic food shortages, human rights watchdogs say.