Israel notifies UN of ending ties with UNRWA

Israel has officially notified the United Nations of its decision to sever ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). 

The announcement, made on November 4, 2024, follows recent legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset that prohibits UNRWA from operating within Israeli borders and restricts any state interaction with the agency.

The new law is set to take effect in late January 2025, but Israel immediately cancelled the cooperation agreement, originally established in 1967.

“UNRWA – the organisation whose employees participated in the October 7 massacre and many of whose employees are Hamas operatives – is part of the problem in the Gaza Strip and not part of the solution,” Foreign Minister Israel Katz was quoted as saying.

Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon emphasized that substantial evidence had been provided to the U.N. regarding Hamas’ infiltration of UNRWA, which he claims has not been adequately addressed by the agency.

Reacting to the development, the head of the World Health Organization condemned Israel’s decision to sever ties with the UN agency aiding Palestinian refugees, stating that it would not enhance the country’s security and would instead exacerbate civilian suffering in Gaza.

“Let me be clear: There is simply no alternative to UNRWA,” the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The termination of relations with UNRWA raises significant concerns about humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where UNRWA plays a crucial role in providing essential services such as education and healthcare to millions of Palestinian refugees.

Observers warn that this move could exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis, especially as reports indicate that aid entering Gaza has drastically decreased amid ongoing military operations.