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The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, said the vote opposes the U.N. charter and violates international law
Israel’s parliament has passed a law to ban the UN relief agency UNRWA from operating inside the country, alarming some of Israel’s allies who fear it will worsen the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The Israeli lawmakers who drafted the law cited what they described as the involvement of some UNRWA staffers in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel and staffers having membership in Hamas and other armed groups. After the reports emerged about the ban, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a post on X, said “UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable.”
The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, said the vote opposes the UN charter and violates international law. “This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimise its role towards providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine Refugees,” he wrote on social media platform X.
UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable. Since avoiding a humanitarian crisis is also essential, sustained humanitarian aid must remain available in Gaza now and in the future.— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 28, 2024
‘I call on Israel’
UN chief António Guterres has slammed Israel’s ban and warned of devastating consequences for Palestine refugees. “If implemented, the laws adopted today by the Knesset of Israel would likely prevent @UNRWA from continuing its essential work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with devastating consequences for Palestine refugees. I call on Israel to act consistently with its obligations under the Charter of the @UN & international law. National legislation cannot alter those obligations,” Guterres said in a post on X.
The vote by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) against @UNRWA this evening is unprecedented and sets a dangerous precedent. It opposes the UN Charter and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law.This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) October 28, 2024
If implemented, the laws adopted today by the Knesset of Israel would likely prevent @UNRWA from continuing its essential work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with devastating consequences for Palestine refugees.I call on Israel to act consistently with its obligations…
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) October 29, 2024
The vote came the same day Israeli tanks thrust deeper into northern Gaza, trapping 100,000 civilians, the Palestinian emergency service said, in what Israel’s military said were operations to eliminate regrouping Hamas militants. The Israeli military said soldiers captured around 100 suspected militants in a raid on a hospital in the Jabalia camp. Hamas and medics have denied any militant presence at the hospital.
The Gaza Strip’s health ministry said at least 19 people were killed by Israeli airstrikes and bombardment on Monday. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said around 100,000 people were marooned in Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun without medical or food supplies. The emergency service said its operations had come to a halt because of the three-week Israeli assault into northern Gaza, where Israel had said it wiped out Hamas combat forces earlier in the year-long war.
CEASEFIRE TALKS
Talks led by the US, Egypt and Qatar to broker a ceasefire resumed on Sunday after multiple abortive attempts. Egypt’s president proposed a two-day truce to exchange four Israeli hostages held by Hamas for Palestinian prisoners, followed by talks within 10 days on a permanent ceasefire.
Netanyahu had said mediators would resume talks in coming days “in a continued attempt to advance a deal.” Israel has repeatedly said the war will go on until Hamas is eradicated while the Islamist movement has ruled out any end to fighting until Israeli forces leave Gaza.
Gaza’s war has kindled wider conflict in the Middle East, raising concern about global oil supplies, with Israel bombing Lebanon and sending forces into its south to disable Iran-backed Hezbollah, a Hamas ally. At least 16 people were killed in Israeli strikes on three villages in eastern Lebanon’s city of Baalbek, the Lebanese health ministry said on Monday.
The conflict also triggered rare direct clashes between regional arch-foes Israel and Iran. Israeli warplanes pounded Iranian missile production sites during the weekend in retaliation for an Oct. 1 Iranian missile volley at Israel. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran would “use all available tools” to respond.
Lebanon and Gaza
Israel continued battering Lebanon on Monday, including an early-morning airstrike on a district in the southern port of Tyre that left seven dead, the Lebanese health ministry said. Lebanon’s health authority said Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed at least 2,710 people and injured 12,592 others in the past year.
Meanwhile, Hamas-led militants continue to attack Israeli forces in hit-and-run operations. Hamas’ 2023 attack killed 1,200 people and resulted in more than 250 hostages being taken into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. The death toll from Israel’s retaliatory air and ground onslaught in Gaza has reached 43,020, the Gaza health ministry said on Monday.
(With agency inputs)
- Location :
Jerusalem, Israel