Israel is taking action to limit the activities of the United Nations’ Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) due to allegations of infiltration by Hamas, as stated by the country’s ambassador to the UN. The Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, recently voted to ban UNRWA from operating within Israel and prohibited Israeli authorities from engaging with the agency.
Amid accusations of association with Hamas, Israel has intensified efforts to discredit UNRWA, claiming that some of its employees were involved in a recent attack by Hamas. UNRWA has vehemently denied these allegations, but the controversy led to several governments, including the US, suspending funding for the agency pending investigations.
Despite the actions taken against UNRWA, Israel has expressed its commitment to collaborating with other UN agencies that focus on humanitarian efforts, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). The Israeli ambassador also affirmed that Israel remains dedicated to completing a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza.
