Israel passes law banning UNRWA operations, millions of Palestinians' access to aid threatened

SHAH ALAM - Israel’s parliament passed a controversial law banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating within its borders.

Critics viewed the decision as a direct blow to humanitarian efforts in Gaza, with the potential to profoundly impact millions of Palestinians reliant on the agency for essential services such as education, healthcare, and emergency aid.

In Gaza, where prolonged mass murders had devastated infrastructure and stretched resources to their limits, the decision raised pressing questions about the future of humanitarian support for Palestinian refugees.

The law, passed with a decisive 92-10 vote, barred UNRWA from operating in Israeli-controlled areas, citing alleged connections between some of the agency’s employees and militant groups.

According to Reuters, Israeli lawmakers who supported the ban stated that some UNRWA staff members were involved in the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel and alleged affiliations with Hamas and other armed groups.

Following the vote, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the legislation, asserting that “UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable.”

He added that the law, which would take effect in 90 days, would still permit humanitarian assistance into Gaza in coordination with international partners, as long as it did not pose security risks.

The United Nations, several Western allies, and humanitarian organisations expressed serious concerns that this move could cripple essential aid in Gaza, where nearly 2.4 million people depended on UNRWA’s services for education, healthcare, and emergency assistance.

UNRWA Head Philippe Lazzarini described the legislation as a “dangerous precedent” that threatened the UN’s foundational principles and Israel’s obligations under international law.

“This is part of an ongoing campaign to discredit and delegitimise UNRWA,” Lazzarini stated, warning that the ban could deepen the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Lazzarini expressed concern that the ban would also deprive over 650,000 Palestinian children in Gaza of an education, threatening "an entire generation.”

International Response

The ban prompted immediate criticism from prominent international figures.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the decision as a violation of international humanitarian principles, calling it a “stark contradiction to international law.”

Foreign ministers from countries including Germany, France, and Japan echoed similar sentiments, stating that it was crucial for “UNRWA and other UN agencies to fulfill their mandates effectively.”

Despite the intensifying humanitarian needs in Gaza, where ongoing genocide had led to mass displacements and over 43,000 casualties, Israel limited access to aid by keeping critical border crossings closed, according to Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh.

The Rafah crossing, a crucial entry point for supplies, remained blocked, preventing essential resources like food, medicine, and fuel from reaching Gaza’s residents, many of whom were without access to basic necessities.

Future Implications and Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis

In a related matter, UNRWA’s main spokesperson Juliette Touma stressed the severe consequences of cutting off UNRWA’s assistance, describing it as “a disaster for humanitarian operations.”

Touma also warned that previous attempts to replace UNRWA’s support had “failed miserably,” as highlighted in Reuters.

The organisation had sustained heavy losses over the past year, with at least 233 UNRWA team members killed and two-thirds of its Gaza facilities damaged or destroyed.