UNRWA 'Preparing' To Suspend Aiding Gaza, West Bank As New Israeli Law Takes Effect (image @UNRWA)
Gaza, Palestine: The United Nations is planning to end its cooperation with Gaza by providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in the Strip. A UN official told the New York Times (NYT) that the leading agency is “preparing” to end its operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
“It would be a massive impact on an already catastrophic situation. If that is what the Israeli intention is – to remove any ability for us to save lives – you have to question what is the thinking and what is the end goal?” UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Jamie McGoldrick told the NYT.
Also Read: UN Fires 9 UNRWA Employees. Here’s Why
United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is a critical provider of essential services and basic necessities in the Strip. It is relied on by thousands of Palestinians for their livelihood and basic needs. Since the start of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, UNRWA has been at the forefront of delivering aid to the displaced Palestinians, providing food, water, and medicine, as well as overseeing aid deliveries and running shelters.
The agency has also provided fuel to the remaining hospitals and has been working to clear the accumulated waste, which is critical amidst the recent outbreak of diseases such as cholera.
Israel accused UNRWA of that employees of the organisation took part in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7. A UN probe found nine employees actively participated in the Hamas-led operation and were subsequently fired. The remaining accusations against UNRWA have been rejected and condemned by the UN. Several countries suspended funding the organisation, leading to a crippling situation for the Palestinians.
UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma previously revealed that “some of our staff have conveyed to UNRWA teams that they were forced to make confessions under torture and ill-treatment.”
In October 2024, the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, passed two bills banning UNRWA in Israel, which will take effect in January. While Israel has not directly addressed whether the bill includes UNRWA operations in Gaza and the West Bank, the law would force the UN to shut down its operations in both regions, said media reports.
Under the bill, Israeli officials are banned from interacting with UNRWA, and as the delivery of aid requires coordination with the Israeli army, operations would be impossible to continue.
Also Read: Why Do Countries Suspend Funding UNRWA?
Since Israel has blocked and barricaded the Palestinians from moving freely in and out of their own country, they have relied on international humanitarian organisations and non-governmental groups for decades. UNRWA supports Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. It performs various functions, including schools, hospitals and clinics, garbage collections, food banks, and job-training centres.
UNRWA was established by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 1949, a year after the Arab-Israeli war. The agency provides aid and relief to all refugees resulting from the 1948 conflict.
