Israel has given the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) until January 30, 2025, to end its operations and vacate all its premises in Jerusalem, according to Israel’s UN ambassador. This follows controversial Israeli legislation that prohibits UNRWA from operating in Israel and East Jerusalem, the latter annexed by Israel after the 1967 Six-Day War.
The agency, which provides critical aid to around six million Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria, has faced heightened scrutiny from Israel. Accusations have risen since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, alleging ties between the agency’s Gaza employees and the assault.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon stated, “UNRWA is required to cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate all premises in which it operates in the city, no later than 30 January 2025.”
UNRWA has long been a cornerstone of humanitarian assistance in Palestinian territories, operating schools and clinics in East Jerusalem. While the Israeli parliament has banned contact between officials and UNRWA, it has not outlawed the agency’s activities in Gaza or the West Bank.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned that restricting the agency could undermine the Gaza ceasefire and exacerbate suffering. “The work of UNRWA must continue in Gaza and across the occupied Palestinian territory,” he stated on social media.
