What would Israel’s closure of UNRWA mean for displaced people in the Gaza Strip?

IsraelThe Russian Parliament has passed the law ban UN The Relief and Works Agency ceased operations in the country as well as the Occupied Palestinian Territories, citing alleged links of some employees to the October 7 Hamas attack.

Legislation that may lead to closure of UNRWAoffice in East Jerusalem and interrupt assistance Gazadrew strong international condemnation, including from the US, UK, Canada and Australia.

UNRWA plays a critical role in providing education, health care and humanitarian assistance to millions of Palestinians..

Philippe Lazzarini, the UN agency’s commissioner general, condemned the law and warned it would worsen the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where conditions have been dire for more than a year.

“These bills will only deepen Palestinian suffering“Especially in the Gaza Strip, where people have been living through absolute hell for over a year now,” he said in a statement, adding that the Israeli law “sets a dangerous precedent.”

Gaza’s 2.3 million people rely almost entirely on humanitarian aid to survive, especially now that more 90 percent have been displaced as a result of Israeli bombing of the territory.

Hundreds of thousands of Gazans are sheltering in temporary tent camps and schools, mainly run UNRWAwhere observers report widespread hunger.

UNRWA played an important role in coordinating assistance to displaced Palestinians Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza has left 43,000 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza’s health ministry.

By prohibiting the agency from operating within Israel and limiting its interaction with government agencies, the law threatens to undermine the essential services provided by UNRWA.

UNRWA may face difficulty attracting international staff and coordinate relief efforts, which are exacerbating dire humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.

U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned Israel in a letter that “the passage of this legislation may have implications for U.S. law.”

Most of the new law’s provisions will take effect in three months, and their full legal implications are not yet entirely clear.

The US letter warned of possible restrictions on arms sales if Israel does not take measures to strengthen humanitarian situation in Gaza.

“We are deeply concerned about this proposed legislation,” Mr. Miller told reporters on Monday.

“They are truly playing an indispensable role right now in Gaza, where they are on the front line delivering humanitarian aid to people who need it. We continue to call on the Israeli government to suspend implementation of this law. We encourage them not to go through it at all. We will consider next steps based on what happens in the coming days.”

Since January, Israel has stepped up efforts to block UNRWA, claiming that 12 of its 13,000 employees in Gaza were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and suggesting that many others were linked to Palestinian militant groups. He provided little evidence to support these claims.

In August, UN investigators cleared 10 UNRWA employees. and nine employees were fired after an internal investigation found they may have been involved in the Hamas attack on Israel.

An independent review in April found that UNRWA has a stronger commitment to neutrality than other aid organizations and UN agencies.

Israeli attacks on Gaza kill hundreds of UNRWA staff it is now the deadliest conflict on record for UN personnel.

UNRWA media adviser Adnan Abu Hasna warned that Israel’s decision to ban the agency could lead to a complete collapse of humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip.

Talking to Al JazeeraAbu Hasna called the move an “unprecedented” escalation.

Joyce Msuya, acting head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, expressed strong support for UNRWA and called the decision “dangerous and outrageous.”

“There is no alternative to UNRWA,” Ms. Msuya said.

Sally Abi Khalil, Oxfam’s regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement: “Israel has bombed the Palestinians to death, maimed them, starved them and is now depriving them of their biggest source of aid. Step by step, Israel is systematically destroying Gaza as a land that is autonomous and habitable for Palestinians. Today’s ban on UNRWA is condemnable and is another step in this crime.

“This decision will further undermine the international community’s ability to provide sufficient humanitarian assistance and save lives in any safe, independent and impartial manner.”

UNRWA was created by the UN General Assembly in December 1949 to implement “direct relief and works programs” for Palestine refugees. It began its activities on May 1, 1950.

According to Israel, the Hamas attack on Israel killed 1,200 people and more than 250 hostages were captured and taken to the Gaza Strip. The death toll from Israel’s retaliatory air and ground attack on the Gaza Strip has exceeded 43,000, the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said.