Israel has banned the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA from operating in the country – a move which could hamper its work in Gaza.
UNRWA’s chief Philippe Lazzarini has warned the ban “will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians, especially in Gaza”.
The agency, which is responsible for more than five million Palestinian refugees, has come under repeated attack by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who says it has links to Hamas and other militant groups.
As part of the legislation passed by Israel’s parliament on Monday, the group was designated a terror organisation.
On Sunday, seven European foreign ministries, including the UK’s, said any move to restrict UNRWA’s work would have “devastating consequences on an already critical and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation”.
“We urge the Israeli government to abide by its international obligations, keep the reserve privileges and immunities of UNRWA untouched and live up to its responsibility to facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance in all its forms,” they said in a joint statement.
In August, nine of the agency’s staff were sacked after an investigation found they may have been involved in Hamas’s 7 October attack on Israel.
The UN began investigating alleged links after Israel first accused the group of colluding with the attack in January.
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