Israel announced on Monday that it has terminated the agreement facilitating the work of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, which is the main aid provider in Gaza. This move is seen as a step towards implementing legislation passed last month that would sever ties with the agency and prevent it from operating in Israel. Israel alleges that UNRWA has been infiltrated by Hamas, a claim that the agency denies, stating that it maintains neutrality.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that it has notified the U.N. of the cancellation of an agreement dating back to 1967 that facilitates UNRWA's work. Israel views UNRWA as part of the problem in the Gaza Strip rather than part of the solution. Aid groups have expressed concerns that this decision could significantly impede UNRWA's operations, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. While Israel suggests that other U.N. agencies and aid groups can step in, organizations argue that UNRWA's services are indispensable.
Israeli Settlers Accused of Torching Cars in Ramallah
Palestinian officials reported that Israeli settlers were responsible for an attack in which several cars were set on fire near the Palestinian Authority's headquarters in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The incident occurred in Al-Bireh, close to Ramallah, with no injuries reported but 18 cars damaged. Settler attacks on Palestinians have surged since the conflict in Gaza began following Hamas' incursion into Israel on October 7, 2023.
Attacks in and around Ramallah, a city housing senior Palestinian officials and international missions, are uncommon. The Palestinian Authority condemned the assault, while Israeli police, responsible for law enforcement involving settlers in the West Bank, stated that they are investigating the incident. The West Bank, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, is a focal point of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with Palestinians aspiring for it to be a core part of their future state.
