Gaza aid fears as Israel bans UN Palestinian refugee agency

Israel has passed two laws banning the UN's Palestinian refugee agency (Unrwa) from operating in Israel, and in occupied areas under its control, by large majorities.

A number of countries, including the US, the UK and Germany, have expressed serious concern about the move.

Ahead of the vote, the US State Department said the agency played a "critical" role in distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. Almost all of the enclave's population of more than two million people is dependent on aid and services from Unrwa.

Israel accuses Unrwa of being all but complicit with Hamas, saying that some of the agency's members were involved in the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.

Unrwa has for decades provided a range of services and support including healthcare and education to millions of Palestinians in Gaza.

The agency's commissioner-general, Philippe Lazzarini, said the decision would only deepen the suffering of Palestinian people.

Since the war broke out last year in Gaza, the agency's presence on the ground has seen it become a crucial part of efforts to get humanitarian supplies to civilians there, almost all of whom are dependent on aid for survival.

Mr Lazzarini said in a statement: "The vote by the Israeli parliament (Knesset) against Unrwa this evening is unprecedented and sets a dangerous precedent. It opposes the UN Charter and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law."

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