Gaza Residents Express Concern Over Potential Halt of UNRWA Aid Amid Israeli Ban

In the conflict-affected Gaza Strip, residents are already contending with a severe humanitarian emergency; however, their concerns are now escalating due to the anticipated challenges stemming from Israel’s prohibition of the largest United Nations agency active in the region. Yasmine el-Ashry, residing in Khan Younis, questioned, “Unrwa means everything to us: it is our life, our food, our drink and our medical care. When it closes, there will be no flour. If my son gets sick, where will I go?” Registered refugee Saeed Awida stated, “Banning Unrwa is another war for the Palestinian people.” He added, “They want to exterminate the Palestinian people and not provide us with humanitarian services.” Notwithstanding international objections, the Israeli parliament demonstrated extensive backing for the recently introduced legislation, which aims to prohibit Israeli officials from engaging with Unrwa – the UN’s relief and works agency for Palestinian refugees in the Near East. Allegations have been made that the agency is complicit with Hamas. Sharren Haskel of the opposition National Unity Party, a co-sponsor of the proposed bill, asserted, “A terrorist organisation has completely taken over it.” She further stated, “If the United Nations is not willing to clean this organisation from terrorism, from Hamas activists, then we have to take measures to make sure they cannot harm our people ever again.” Unrwa maintains its impartiality, indicating that should the new Israeli statutes targeting it be enacted as scheduled in three months, the repercussions would be significant, especially within the occupied Palestinian territories. Sam Rose, Unrwa’s Gaza deputy director, commented, “It would essentially make it impossible for us to operate in Gaza.” He elaborated, “We wouldn’t be able to bring in supplies, because that has to take place in co-ordination with Israeli officials. It wouldn’t further be able for us to manage our movements safely in and out of Gaza around checkpoints, but just in and around conflict zones.” He highlighted that the safeguarded status of Unrwa schools, clinics, and other structures providing refuge for hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals would effectively cease to exist. Reports from Israeli media indicate that diplomatic and security circles had issued warnings regarding the potential ramifications of measures against Unrwa. Israel faces accusations of violating the UN charter and its commitments under international humanitarian law. Nevertheless, internal political factors ultimately superseded these concerns. The UN General Assembly established Unrwa in 1949 following the initial Arab-Israeli war, which occurred after the establishment of the state of Israel. The agency provided assistance to approximately 700,000 Palestinians who had either fled or been displaced from their residences. Seventy years later, with the registration of the descendants of those initial refugees, the population of Palestinians receiving support from Unrwa has expanded to six million across Gaza, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. It provides them with aid, assistance, education, and health services. The agency has historically attracted significant Israeli criticism, for instance, through claims that educational materials used in its schools foster animosity towards Israel. Nevertheless, this criticism has intensified considerably since Hamas’s 7 October attack last year. Last week, Unrwa verified that a Hamas commander, who died in an Israeli strike, had been on its payroll since 2022. He was reportedly captured on video orchestrating the killing and abduction of Israelis from a bomb shelter close to Kibbutz Re’im. The UN initiated an inquiry subsequent to Israel’s accusation that 12 Unrwa staff members participated in the Hamas-led offensive on southern Israel; an additional seven cases subsequently emerged. In August, Unrwa announced that nine employees, from the thousands it employs in Gaza, might have been implicated in the assaults and had been terminated. Sam Rose affirmed, “We have taken immediate and strong and direct action against any allegations that we have received.” Israel has consistently argued that Unrwa’s continued presence prolongs the Palestinian refugee issue – a central element of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. UN representatives contend that this matter can only be resolved through a negotiated political agreement. However, in Gaza, where the majority of the 2.3 million residents are registered refugees, the recent measures targeting Unrwa are also perceived as a concerning assault on their status. Mohammed Salman from Deir al-Balah informed the BBC, “I am telling you that the word “refugee” will disappear. They do not want the word refugee. Israel is looking for this.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.