Israel’s move to ban UN agency raises alarm about aid to Gaza even as the implications are unclear

Israel’s move to ban UN agency raises alarm about aid to Gaza even as the implications are unclear
Israeli legislation cutting ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has raised fears that the largest provider of aid to Gaza could be shut out of the war-ravaged territory. (AFP)
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Updated 30 October 2024

Israel’s move to ban UN agency raises alarm about aid to Gaza even as the implications are unclear

Israel’s move to ban UN agency raises alarm about aid to Gaza even as the implications are unclear
  • Legislation barring UNRWA from operating in Israel passed with an overwhelming majority Monday
  • The two new laws are all but certain to hamper UNRWA’s work in Gaza and the occupied West Bank

JERUSALEM: Israeli legislation cutting ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees raised fears that the largest provider of aid to Gaza could be shut out of the war-ravaged territory, even as the implications of the new laws remained unclear Tuesday.
The agency known as UNRWA provides essential services to millions of Palestinians across the Middle East and has underpinned aid efforts in Gaza throughout the Israel-Hamas war. Legislation barring it from operating in Israel passed with an overwhelming majority Monday. Israel says UNRWA has allowed itself to be infiltrated by Hamas, with the militants siphoning off aid and using the agency’s facilities as shields. UNRWA denies the allegations, saying it is committed to neutrality and acts quickly to address any wrongdoing by its staff.
The two newly passed laws are all but certain to hamper UNRWA’s work in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, as Israel controls access to both territories. But the details of how the legislation would be implemented, and potential workarounds, remain unclear. It could also face legal challenges.
Either way, the laws could have major consequences for Palestinians in Gaza, who are heavily reliant on emergency food aid more than a year into a war that has killed tens of thousands, according to local officials who don’t distinguish combatants from civilians; displaced 90 percent of the population of 2.3 million; and left much of the territory in ruins.
What do the laws say?
The first law prohibits UNRWA from “operating any mission, providing any service or conducting any activity, either directly or indirectly, within Israel’s sovereign territory,” according to a statement from parliament.
It’s unclear whether UNRWA would still be able to operate inside Gaza and the West Bank, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war but has never formally annexed. The Palestinians want both to be part of a future state.
The second law prohibits Israeli state agencies from communicating with UNRWA and revokes an agreement dating to 1947, before Israel was created, under which it facilitated UNRWA’s work.
With Israel controlling all access to Gaza and the West Bank, it could be difficult for UNRWA staff to enter and leave the territories through Israeli checkpoints, and to bring in vital supplies for its schools, health centers and humanitarian programs.
UNRWA and its staff would also lose their tax exemptions and legal immunities.
How would the laws affect UNRWA’s operations?
UNRWA’s headquarters are in east Jerusalem, which Israel seized in the 1967 war and annexed in a move not recognized internationally.
Much of the agency’s supply lines to the territories run through Israel, and shutting them down could create even more obstacles to getting essential aid — everything from flour and canned vegetables to winter blankets and mattresses — into Gaza.
At present, all shipments of aid into Gaza must be coordinated with COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of civilian affairs, which inspects all shipments. Aid groups say their work is already hampered by Israeli delays, ongoing fighting and the breakdown of law and order inside Gaza.
Aid levels plunged in the first half of October as Israel closed crossings into north Gaza, where hunger experts say the threat of starvation is most acute. COGAT attributed the decline to closures related to the Jewish holidays and troop movements for a large, ongoing offensive in northern Gaza.
In the first 19 days of October, the UN says, 704 trucks of aid entered the Gaza Strip, down from over 3,018 trucks in September and August. COGAT’s own tracking dashboard shows aid deliveries in October plunging to under a third of their September and August levels.
The new laws would also likely bar UNRWA from banking in Israel, raising questions about how it would continue to pay thousands of Palestinian staff in Gaza and the West Bank. Its international staff would likely have to relocate to third countries like Jordan.
What could replace UNRWA?
Rights groups say Israel is obliged under international law to provide for the basic needs of people in the territories it occupies. Israel also faces increasing pressure from the Biden administration, which says it may have to reduce US military support if there isn’t a dramatic increase in aid going into Gaza.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the United States was “deeply troubled” by the legislation, which “poses risks for millions of Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for essential services.”
“We are going to engage with the government of Israel in the days ahead about how they plan to implement it” and see whether there are any legal challenges, he said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement Monday that Israel is“ready to work with our international partners to ensure Israel continues to facilitate humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not threaten Israel’s security.”
But many of those partners insist there is no alternative to UNRWA.
A spokesperson for the UN children’s agency, which also provides aid to Gaza, denounced the new laws in unusually strong language, saying “a new way has been found to kill children.”
James Elder said the loss of UNRWA “would likely see the collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza.” His agency, known as UNICEF, “would become effectively unable to distribute lifesaving supplies,” such as vaccines, winter clothes, water and food to combat malnutrition.
Israeli officials are considering the possibility of having the military or private contractors take over aid distribution, but have yet to develop a concrete plan, according to two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door discussions.
COGAT referred all questions on the new legislation to the government.
At risk is not just UNRWA’s aid delivery to Gaza, where it is also the largest employer. UNRWA also operates schools in the occupied West Bank serving over 330,000 children, as well as health care centers and infrastructure projects.
Amy Pope — head of the International Organization for Migration, another UN body — said it would not be able to fill the gap left by UNRWA, which she described as “absolutely essential.”
“They provide education. They provide health care. They provide some of the most basic needs, for people who have been living there for decades,” she said.


Over 10,000 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails, excluding Gazans in military confinement

Over 10,000 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails, excluding Gazans in military confinement
Updated 1 min ago

Over 10,000 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails, excluding Gazans in military confinement

Over 10,000 Palestinians detained in Israeli jails, excluding Gazans in military confinement
  • 3,629 Palestinians detained under administrative detention, a practice allowing Israeli authorities to hold individuals in prison without trial
  • Since the 1967 occupation, over 800,000 Palestinians have spent time in Israeli jails

LONDON: More than 10,000 Palestinians are currently held in Israeli prisons, the highest prisoner count since the Second Intifada in 2000, Palestinian prisoners’ advocacy groups reported on Tuesday.

As of early July, some 10,800 prisoners are said to be held in Israeli detention centers and prisons, including 50 women — two of whom are from the Gaza Strip — and over 450 children. The figures do not include individuals detained in Israeli military camps such as Sde Teiman, where many people from Gaza are believed to be held and subjected to torture.

A total of 3,629 Palestinians are currently detained under administrative detention, a practice that allows Israeli authorities to hold individuals in prison without trial for six months, which is subject to indefinite renewals.

A further 2,454 detainees are designated as “unlawful combatants,” including Palestinians and Arabs from Lebanon and Syria.

Since the 1967 occupation of the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, over 800,000 Palestinians have spent time in Israeli jails, according to a UN report in 2023.


Israel military says struck Hamas militant in north Lebanon

People gather near a damaged car after the Israeli military said in a statement that it struck a “key” figure from Hamas.
People gather near a damaged car after the Israeli military said in a statement that it struck a “key” figure from Hamas.
Updated 4 min 11 sec ago

Israel military says struck Hamas militant in north Lebanon

People gather near a damaged car after the Israeli military said in a statement that it struck a “key” figure from Hamas.
  • Israel has kept up strikes against Hezbollah despite the ceasefire
  • “A short while ago, the (Israeli military) struck a key Hamas terrorist in the area of Tripoli in Lebanon,” Israeli military said

JERUSALEM: Israel’s military said Tuesday it had struck a Hamas militant in the Lebanese city of Tripoli, in its first strike on the country’s north since a November ceasefire ended hostilities with Hezbollah.
“A short while ago, the (Israeli military) struck a key Hamas terrorist in the area of Tripoli in Lebanon,” the military said in a statement, without providing further details.
The military said earlier that it had killed two militants of the Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah in two separate attacks on southern Lebanon Monday.
It identified one of them as Ali Haidar, a local Hezbollah commander whom it said was involved in restoring militant infrastructure sites in the area.
Hezbollah’s clout has diminished after it emerged bruised from a conflict with Israel last year, fueled by Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.
Israel, however, has kept up strikes against Hezbollah despite the ceasefire.
Israel said last week that it was “interested” in striking peace agreements with Lebanon and neighboring Syria.
The ceasefire aimed to end hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah after the Lebanese group launched a wave of cross-border attacks on northern Israel in solidarity with its Palestinian ally Hamas following its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.


Four dead in fire at major Cairo telecoms hub, Internet disrupted

Fire fighters battle flames for the second day after a fire engulfed the main telecom company building in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday.
Fire fighters battle flames for the second day after a fire engulfed the main telecom company building in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday.
Updated 15 min 10 sec ago

Four dead in fire at major Cairo telecoms hub, Internet disrupted

Fire fighters battle flames for the second day after a fire engulfed the main telecom company building in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday.
  • Internet and phone connections were still heavily disrupted in Cairo on Tuesday, with the Egyptian stock exchange suspending operations

CAIRO: At least four people were killed and 27 injured in a fire at a major telecomms center in Egypt’s capital that caused widespread disruptions, the health ministry said on Tuesday.
Internet and phone connections were still heavily disrupted in Cairo on Tuesday, with the Egyptian stock exchange suspending operations.
Flights into and out of the capital had also been affected by the fire, which began on Monday evening, although by the following morning the civil aviation ministry said all flights had resumed following delays caused by the blaze.
Gas and electricity outages were also reported on Monday by Cairo governor Ibrahim Saber.
“Civil defense forces recovered four bodies from the scene of the incident,” the healthy ministry said in a statement.
The authorities are yet to announce a cause for the fire, nor has any information been given about the 27 injured.
Local media reported that the fire at the Ramses Exchange, the former communications ministry headquarters, was extinguished on Monday night.


Jordanian helicopters continue to help Syria in containing wildfires for 6th day

Jordanian helicopters continue to help Syria in containing wildfires for 6th day
Updated 08 July 2025

Jordanian helicopters continue to help Syria in containing wildfires for 6th day

Jordanian helicopters continue to help Syria in containing wildfires for 6th day
  • Wildfires in Latakia’s rugged Jabal Turkman region were sparked by combination of unexploded ordnance, drought
  • Damascus sought support from the EU to combat wildfires on Tuesday

LONDON: Jordanian air forces continue to assist authorities in Syria’s coastal region to combat wildfires, which have damaged more than 10,000 hectares of land over six days.

Jordan was one of the first countries to dispatch help to the Syrian Arab Republic, alongside Lebanon and Turkiye, all neighboring countries. The UN also deployed teams to assist Syria, while on Tuesday, Damascus sought support from the EU to combat the fires.

The wildfires in Latakia’s Jabal Turkman region were sparked by a combination of unexploded ordnance from the country’s civil war as well as high temperatures and drought.

Jordan sent two Black Hawk helicopters with firefighting crews and equipment. The Jordanian mission is working to prevent the further expansion of fires and mitigate the impact on local communities and ecosystems, Petra reported.

The wildfires have been difficult to contain due to rugged terrain, dense vegetation, landmines, unexploded ordnance and high winds, which have further complicated response efforts, authorities said.

The decision to help Syria demonstrates Jordan’s commitment to providing humanitarian support and responding to regional crises, Petra added.


Qatar says ‘we will need time’ for Gaza ceasefire

Qatar says ‘we will need time’ for Gaza ceasefire
Updated 08 July 2025

Qatar says ‘we will need time’ for Gaza ceasefire

Qatar says ‘we will need time’ for Gaza ceasefire
  • Qatar says the meetings in Doha are focused on a framework for the talks
  • US President Donald Trump earlier voiced optimism about a possible breakthrough

DOHA: Qatar said Tuesday more time was needed for negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, after US President Donald Trump voiced optimism about a possible breakthrough.

“I don’t think that I can give any timeline at the moment, but I can say right now that we will need time for this,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said as indirect negotiations continued into a third day in Doha.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Washington, meanwhile, on his third visit to the White House since Trump returned to power.

Trump, who is pushing for a ceasefire, expressed confidence a deal could be reached, saying: “I don’t think there is a hold-up. I think things are going along very well.”

Qatar, a mediator along with the United States and Egypt, said the meetings in Doha were focused on a framework for the talks, while a Palestinian official close to the negotiations said no breakthrough had been achieved so far.

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff was set to join the talks in Doha this week.

On the ground, five Israeli soldiers were killed in combat in northern Gaza — one of the deadliest days this year for Israeli forces in the Palestinian territory.

Gaza’s civil defense meanwhile reported 29 killed in Israeli strikes on Tuesday.

Israel and Hamas began the latest round of negotiations on Sunday, with representatives seated in separate rooms within the same building.

At the White House, sitting across from Netanyahu, Trump said Hamas was willing to end the Gaza conflict, now in its 22nd month.

“They want to meet and they want to have that ceasefire,” Trump said when asked if ongoing clashes would derail talks.

An Israeli official accompanying Netanyahu to Washington said the proposal under discussion was “80-90 percent of what Israel wanted.”

“I believe that with military and political pressure, all the hostages can be returned,” the official told Israeli media.

According to Ariel Kahana of Israel Hayom daily, “President Trump and his advisers are currently exerting considerable effort to reach an agreement that would lead to the release of the hostages and could even end the war in Gaza.”

However, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir opposed negotiations with Hamas, saying that “there is no need to negotiate with those who murder our fighters; they must be torn to shreds.”

Netanyahu described the loss of five soldiers in Gaza as a “difficult morning” and mourned “our heroic soldiers who risked their lives in the battle to defeat Hamas and free all our hostages.”

Israeli military correspondents reported the deaths occurred due to improvised explosive devices near Beit Hanun in northern Gaza.

According to the Israeli military, 450 soldiers have been killed in the Gaza military campaign since the start of the ground offensive on October 27, 2023.

Gaza’s civil defense agency reported 29 people killed in Israeli strikes across the territory, including three children.

Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the agency, said nine of those were killed in a drone strike on a camp for displaced people in southern Gaza.

“I was in front of my tent preparing breakfast for my four children – beans and a bit of dry bread. Suddenly, there was an explosion,” said Shaimaa Al-Shaer, 30, who lives in the camp.

Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defense agency.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military when contacted by AFP.

The war has created dire humanitarian conditions for Gaza’s more than two million people.

While Israel has the full backing of the Trump administration, the US leader has increasingly pushed for an end to what he called the “hell” in Gaza and said on Sunday he believed there was a “good chance” of an agreement this coming week.

“The utmost priority for the president right now in the Middle East is to end the war in Gaza and to return all of the hostages,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

The US proposal included a 60-day truce, during which Hamas would release 10 living hostages and several bodies in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel, two Palestinian sources close to the discussions had earlier said.

Hamas was also demanding certain conditions for Israel’s withdrawal, guarantees against a resumption of fighting during negotiations, and the return of the UN-led aid distribution system, they said.

Of the 251 hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the October 2023 Hamas attack that triggered the war, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.

Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Israel’s retaliatory campaign has killed at least 57,575 people in Gaza, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry. The UN considers the figures reliable.