Israel has ordered the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to stop its operations in Jerusalem by January 30, 2025. The Israeli envoy to the UN sent a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with this instruction.
The letter states that UNRWA must vacate its premises in Jerusalem by the given date. In October, Israel’s Knesset voted to ban the agency from operating in areas under Israeli control. The government claims that some UNRWA employees were involved in the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, a charge the agency denies.
If implemented, the order will shut down UNRWA’s offices in Israel and freeze its financial accounts. This would halt the agency’s operations.
Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, said the agency plays a crucial role in providing aid, especially in Gaza. He warned that stopping the agency’s work could worsen the situation for many already suffering.
UNRWA has supported Palestinian refugees since 1949, aiding nearly 5.9 million people in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.
