Unrwa chief says Israel's banning of operations will undermine Gaza ceasefire

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), stated that banning the agency from operating within Israel would severely undermine its ability to work in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, where a fragile ceasefire is currently in effect. Lazzarini told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that the ban would “aggravate instability and deepen despair in the occupied Palestinian territory at a critical time.”

Lazzarini pointed out that “the relentless attacks on UNRWA are harming the lives and futures of Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory” and that “this is eroding their trust in the international community and jeopardizing any hope for peace and security.” An Israeli law, passed in October and set to take effect on Thursday, prohibits UNRWA from operating within Israel. The law states that this includes occupied East Jerusalem, despite its widespread international recognition as Palestinian territory.

Israel annexed the area in a move widely condemned by the international community. Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon told the Security Council that “UNRWA must cease its operations and vacate all of its premises in Jerusalem, including the properties in Ma’alot Dafna and Kafr Aqab,” and that “Israel will terminate all cooperation, communication, and contact with UNRWA or anyone acting on its behalf.”

UNRWA provides aid, health, and education services to millions of Palestinians in the Palestinian territories and millions more living in refugee camps in neighboring Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. UNRWA has also operated schools and medical clinics in occupied East Jerusalem for decades, an area Israel seized from Jordan in the 1967 war.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has supported Israel’s decision to close UNRWA offices. US Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea told the Security Council on Tuesday that “Israel’s closure of UNRWA’s offices in Jerusalem on January 30 was a sovereign decision. The US supports the implementation of that decision,” and that “UNRWA has exaggerated the impact of the law and implied that it will force the entire humanitarian response to stop, which is irresponsible and dangerous.”

Trump’s support for Israel’s attacks on UNRWA is not new. Under the previous Trump administration, Washington cut funding to the UN agency, calling it a “flawed operation.” However, despite concerns from aid agencies that Trump’s suspension of all foreign aid (except for aid to Israel and Egypt) would affect UNRWA’s ability to operate, the agency has been operating without US funding for the past year.

In 2024, the Biden administration cut funding to UNRWA, and US legislation has formalized these funding cuts, which will remain in place until March 2025.