Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has taken steps to prohibit the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) within Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories of Jerusalem.
This decision would effectively halt the delivery of humanitarian aid, including essential medicines, to Gaza, which has been facilitated with support from Israel’s own defence forces.
Concerns have risen internationally, with the United Nations, the United States, Germany, and other Western nations expressing significant apprehension.
Should the ban pass, UNRWA would be required to cease its operations within three months, likely exacerbating the already severe humanitarian crisis in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
Reports from the UK’s Reuters and BBC confirm that the vote, conducted in the Knesset on 28 October, focused on suspending UNRWA’s Palestinian aid operations in Israel and Israeli-controlled East Jerusalem.
This legislative decision would terminate UNRWA’s long-standing role in distributing aid across these areas, contributing to what analysts warn could become an extreme humanitarian crisis in besieged Gaza.
Israeli officials have alleged that some UNRWA personnel are linked to "terrorist" activities, an accusation prompting the parliamentary vote to eliminate the organisation's presence within Israeli-administered areas. For years, UNRWA has operated in coordination with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to deliver essential aid, but the potential shutdown of these operations has now led to fervent objections from both international leaders and humanitarian groups.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the move, stating that if implemented, the legislation could shatter peace and security efforts between Israel and Palestine.
“Such action would dismantle the fragile framework of ceasefire and stability we are striving to maintain,” he warned.
UNRWA's Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has voiced grave concern, noting that Palestinians in Gaza will endure intensified hardship as a direct result of this decision. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy criticised the move as “entirely misguided,” while UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer highlighted the profound implications, saying, “This law will make it impossible to provide critical aid to Palestinians, heightening their suffering amid an already dire situation.”
