Israel clamps down on UNRWA operations, threatening aid for Palestinian refugees

Israel has intensified its restrictions on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), alleging ties between the agency’s staff and Hamas. Since 2024, Israel barred UNRWA from operating in Israel and East Jerusalem and denied visas for its international personnel, while separate laws prohibit contact with UNRWA in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

UNRWA director Roland Friedrich says the bans have forced the closure of six schools in East Jerusalem, cutting education for about 800 children, and jeopardized a vocational school in Qalandia that serves 340 youths. He warns that loss of schooling could fuel further radicalisation and argues the restrictions violate international law, as noted by the International Court of Justice.

The dispute raises concerns over the future of humanitarian assistance for the roughly 700,000 Palestinian refugees who depend on UNRWA services, highlighting the broader political tension surrounding the conflict.