Israel UNRWA Ban Will Undermine Gaza Ceasefire, Security Council Hears
2025-01-28 12:00
The UN Security Council has heard warnings that Israel’s ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) will undermine the recent ceasefire in Gaza.
The ban, which came into effect on 1 January 2025, prohibits UNRWA from operating in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. The Israeli government has accused UNRWA of being a “terrorist organization” and of diverting aid to Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza.
UNRWA has denied these allegations and said that the ban will have a “devastating impact” on the 1.5 million Palestinian refugees who rely on its services. The agency provides food, shelter, education, and healthcare to refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
The Security Council meeting was called by Egypt, which has been mediating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, warned that the UNRWA ban could lead to a new outbreak of violence in Gaza.
“The ban on UNRWA is a serious threat to the ceasefire,” Shoukry said. “It will only serve to further destabilize the region and make it more difficult to achieve a just and lasting peace.”
Other members of the Security Council also expressed concern about the Israeli ban. The United States, the United Kingdom, and France all called on Israel to reconsider its decision.
“The UNRWA ban is a mistake,” said US Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power. “It will only hurt the Palestinian people and make it more difficult to achieve peace.”
The Israeli government has defended its decision to ban UNRWA. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the agency is a “threat to Israel’s security.”
“UNRWA is a terrorist organization that supports Hamas,” Netanyahu said. “We will not allow it to operate in Israel any longer.”
The UNRWA ban is the latest in a series of Israeli measures against the Palestinian people. In recent months, Israel has also imposed a blockade on Gaza, which has resulted in a severe humanitarian crisis.
The international community has condemned Israel’s actions and called for an end to the blockade. The United Nations has also called on Israel to reconsider its ban on UNRWA.
The Security Council meeting on the UNRWA ban is a sign of the growing international concern about Israel’s actions in Gaza. It is unclear whether the Israeli government will reconsider its decision, but the ban is likely to have a negative impact on the ceasefire and on the lives of the Palestinian people.
Israel UNRWA ban will undermine Gaza ceasefire, Security Council hears
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