Godsent Ogbebor
Israel has directed the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to cease its operations and vacate all premises in Jerusalem by January 30, 2025.
Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon confirmed the deadline in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, following a newly passed Israeli law prohibiting UNRWA from operating in Israel and East Jerusalem.
The move comes amid growing Israeli criticism of the agency, including allegations that some of its employees were involved in Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack.
UNRWA provides aid to around six million Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. In East Jerusalem, it has long run administrative offices, schools, and health clinics.
While Israeli law now prohibits officials from engaging with UNRWA, it does not explicitly ban the agency from operating in Gaza or the West Bank.
UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini warned that shutting down the agency’s operations could undermine the Gaza ceasefire and further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis. He stressed the importance of continuing UNRWA’s work in Palestinian territories.
