The Israeli legislation, which comes into force on Thursday, will threaten the work of a large agency of the United Nations, which provides critical humanitarian aid in Gaza’s belt after leaving the territory in the ruins for more than a year of war.
Laws prohibit the agency, UNRWA, from any activities in Israel, effectively interrupting their ability to provide gauze. The Agency, which is formally known as the United Nations for the help and working agencies for Palestinian refugees in the Middle East, provides shelter, food and water to millions of Palestinians not only in the enclave, but also in Israel’s west coast and several surrounding countries.
Israel accuses Unrwa of acting under Hamas’s influence, making him unable to act as a neutral group for help. Israel says UNRWA employs many Hamas members, including those who have joined the attacks under the guidance of Hamas on Israel. Unrwa has fired several members of the staff, but says Israel has not provided evidence for all his claims against his staff.
Israel claimed that other UN agencies and a help group can enhance UNRWA. But the help of the help say that the removal of the UN agency, the largest humanitarian organization in Gaza, will seriously impair efforts to help.
Cogat, the Israeli military unit responsible for the supply of assistance in Gaza, said it was subordinate to Israeli law and that the Government would “implement the law as best as possible.”
Here’s a look at what the ban could mean to Palestinians in Gaza and beyond.
Why are Israel and Unrwa in contrast?
The relationship between Israel and Unrwa has been tense for decades.
The UN agency was founded in 1949 to take care of Palestinians displaced during the wars that are about the creation of the state of Israel, along with their descendants.
Riyad of Mansour, Palestinian UN representative, said the security council This week, Israel worked for a long time to remove the agency as part of the strategy for removing the displaced Palestinians of their refugee status and, therefore, their right to return to their old countries, which opposes Israel.
Israel has accused the agency of playing political role by holding the refugee status of Palestinians in several generations.
Israel also claimed for years that Hamas broke through UNRWA -ei used his schools to hide fighters. The Analysis of the New York Times of the Hamas Records Senched by Israel showed that at least 24 members of the Hamas and Islamic jihad, a smaller Palestinian militant group, Worked in schools that are unrwa.
Last year, Israel said 18 UNRWA employees participated in October 7, 2023, a attack under the guidance of Hamas on southern Israel. The UN investigated Israel’s charges and found that nine employees may have participated in the attack. At least nine employees were discharged.
After Israel accused Hamas of infiltration in the agency, Administration biden suspended Millions of annual UNRWA -E -EFICA Forbidden US Financing Organization for one year. Many countries that paused to help the Agency Later he brought it back last year.
What does Israeli legislation say?
The vast majority of Israeli MPs have passed two laws in October.
One law banned all UNRWA activities on Israeli soil. This includes eastern Jerusalem, which most of the world consider to be a busy country, which Israel annexed after the Arab-Israeli War of 1967. The law does not ban the UNRWA in Gaza or the west coast, but will limit access to UNRWA territories through Israel.
Another law prohibits any contact of Israeli officials and UNRWA or anyone who acts on behalf of the organization. The limitations take effect on Thursday, 90 days after the legislators have adopted legislation.
The legislation also requires that the Israeli Government Agency regularly reports to the Israeli parliament on how the law is implemented and emphasizes that Israel can still take legal actions against UNRWA employees.
Ron Katz, one of the sponsors of the law, sharply equalized the Hamas and the UN agency when the laws passed: “We say simply: Israel is separated from the Hamas terrorist organization, which was called UNRWA.”
What could this mean for gauze?
Hundreds of trucks of food, fuel and other stocks have arrived in Gaza every day since the truce came into force this month. But the need is huge after 15 months of war, and UNRWA forms the backbone of supply chains.
The UNRWA chief, Philippe Lazzarini, recently told the UN Security Council that the ban on “massively weaken the international humanitarian response” in Gaza and “immensely worse Already catastrophic living conditions. “He added Post on x Last Friday that the prohibition could “sabotage” the interruption of the fire between Israel and Hamas.
The group still has supplies in a few weeks stored in the territory, which means that at the distribution of help it will not be immediately affected, according to Rose, Director of Operations UNRWA Gazi.
Israel can allow UNRWA to transfer thousands of trucks already in Israel, although it could technically violate the laws, according to three Israeli officials who spoke of anonymity to discuss sensitive operational matters.
The Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, said that it could be necessary for Israel’s days or weeks for the laws to be implemented in the letter, noting that “the curtain will not fall all at once.”
The biggest challenge of UNRWA Gazi will come in a few weeks, when its supplies help reduce and foreign employees must turn from the territory. According to prohibition, ensuring the approval to bring additional aid and obtain a visa for staff could be impossible.
For now, the only approach to land in Gaza is through Israel.
Israel wants other assistance agencies such as UNICEF World Food Program to take on UNRWA roles, according to two Israeli officials and two Western diplomats. But the United Nations are strongly complaining, worried that this could set a dangerous precedent.
UNRWA also says that his staff of 5,000 members in Gaza, an extensive logistical network and deep trust among locals, cannot be replaced. The group claims that only UNRWA can help Israel support its promise to deliver at least 600 humanitarian relief trucks per day, in accordance with the terms of the fire interruption agreement with Hamas.
Israel, aided by the United States, is trying to force the agency to act under the auspices of other UN agencies, such as UNICEF other assistance groups, to take over more responsibility, according to two Israeli officials and two Western diplomats. The United Nations are strongly complaining, worried that this could set a dangerous precedent
What could this mean in Israel?
Starting on Thursday, UNRWA officers will not be able to legally work in the state of Israel.
Last week Israel told the agency he had six days Close its headquarters in East Jerusalemwhich in the territory that was attached to Israel after the war in 1967.
Many employees have already left, according to Juliette Touma, the director of the Global Communication Agency. She described the development of events as “one of the saddest days of her life.”
UNRWA will also ask to close several schools that educate approximately 1,000 Palestinian children and health clinics that serve thousands in East Jerusalem.
The municipality of Jerusalem is ready to serve those students in schools that run Israeli authorities, according to two officials in the municipality who insisted on anonymity to talk freely. But in practice, it could take the time to shut down the UNRWA, one of the officials said.
UNRWA will also be forced to close the headquarters of the western coast, which has been operating in Jerusalem since the 1950s. Many staff members have already gone to Mrs. Touma, who said it was: “One of the saddest days of her life.”
What could this mean for the West Coast?
UNRWA will not be forced to close their plants-which consist of mostly clinics and schools-on the west coast in the Israeli occupation. But it will face the logistics difficulties that have brought help.
And foreign agency employees will no longer be able to work there because the borders of the West Coast control Israel, which is expected to block the members of the agency staff in visa.
Adam Rasgon,, Aaron Boxerman and Farnaz Fassihi contribute to reporting.
