UNRWA: Any Forced Halt to Our Work in Gaza Will Undermine the Truce
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated on Friday that any forced halt to its operations in Gaza would undermine the ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s Director of Communications and Media, warned during a press conference in Geneva that the fragile ceasefire could be at serious risk if the agency is not allowed to continue delivering and distributing aid.
She added that UNRWA’s operations in Gaza and other locations are ongoing despite the Israeli ban, which was supposed to take effect on Thursday.
Israel’s decision to sever ties with the agency officially took effect on Thursday, following Israeli accusations that UNRWA employs a significant number of Hamas members. This move is expected to hinder the agency’s vital services after 15 months of war in Gaza.
Under the decision, UNRWA is prohibited from operating on Israeli territory and in occupied East Jerusalem, and its communication with Israeli officials is also banned. However, the United Nations quickly affirmed that UNRWA continues its work throughout the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, despite the implementation of the ban.
