The recent move by Israel, has drawn significant international criticism, Israel has passed legislation banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating within its borders and occupied Palestinian territories. UNRWA was established 75 years ago by the UN General Assembly and has long been the primary agency assisting Palestinian refugees displaced by conflicts since 1948.
Action Against UNRWA
The legislation which was proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party, passed it with strong support from parliamentarians across Israel. The new law prohibits any Israeli official or organization from interacting with UNRWA, directly or indirectly. This decision has raised alarm over the future of humanitarian aid and services that UNRWA provides to Palestinians, including the Gaza. Analysts argue that Israel’s legislation sets a dangerous precedent, as it’s the first time a UN member state has barred a UN agency. This move could embolden other countries to dismiss international law by restricting UN operations in their own territories. UNRWA was already under heavy criticism from Israeli leadership for years.
Airstrike on UN School by Israel
Israel conducted an airstrike on a United Nations-run school in Gaza City's Shati refugee camp, killing at least nine Palestinians and wounding several others, according to Gaza’s Civil Defence. The attack on Asma School in Gaza. A witness, described the scene as a “massacre,” stating that the school sheltered “innocent children and elderly” who were torn apart in the blast. Civil Defence officials reported that six bodies, including that of a young girl, have been identified so far.
In a recent Israeli airstrikes have killed 65 Palestinians, including 17 children under 12 in Beit Lahiya. while Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza struggles to manage an overwhelming number of critically injured victims. Many have been pulled from rubble, suffering severe wounds from collapsing concrete. Some family members report missing relatives. Israeli airstrikes continued throughout Gaza, killing severals in Beit Lahiya and 10 in az-Zawayda. Strikes also hit the Abu Laban family home in Gaza City and targeted Rafah and the Nuseirat refugee camp.
Former UNRWA Official Calls for Strong UN Response
UNRWA’s former General Counsel, Lex Takkenberg, described the ban as a critical attack on the entire UN system, emphasizing that a strong response from the UN General Assembly and Security Council is necessary. Takkenberg pointed out that if UNRWA's services are disrupted then Israel under international law, would be obligated to provide essential services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank.
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