Israel announced on Monday that it has formally ended its relationship with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the direction of Foreign Minister Israel Katz, informed the UN of the decision after Israel’s parliament voted to ban UNRWA operations within Israel and occupied East Jerusalem. Katz accused the agency of ties to Hamas, claiming that some UNRWA employees had connections to the October 7 attack, which led to increased tensions and conflict in the region.
UNRWA has provided essential aid to Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, and other countries for more than seven decades, and its role in Gaza has been critical, especially during times of heightened conflict. Katz, however, argued that UNRWA’s role in delivering aid to Gaza is limited, estimating that only 13% of Gaza’s aid flows through the agency, while most humanitarian support comes from other organizations.
International Reactions and Concerns
The decision has drawn criticism from international observers and humanitarian organizations who argue that the ban could complicate the movement of UNRWA employees in the occupied West Bank and restrict their access to East Jerusalem and Israel. This could impede the agency’s capacity to provide assistance across Palestinian territories, where approximately 2.4 million people have been displaced during ongoing conflict.
UNRWA has faced previous allegations of “neutrality-related issues” among its staff but has stated that investigations found no direct evidence to support claims of employee involvement in violent activities. As the conflict continues, international organizations are closely monitoring the impacts of this decision on humanitarian efforts in Gaza and the West Bank.
