Israel announces its intention to halt UNRWA activities in Gaza

GAZA: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the New East (UNRWA) has been facing huge hurdles in carrying out its operations in Gaza due to Israel.

The occupying forces accuse the UN body of harbouring Hamas ‘militants’ and announced its intentions of to halt UNRWA’s activities in the occupied region.

The apartheid regime threatened to close down the agency by the “end of the month”.

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The announcement raised huge alarm as the Palestinians in the occupied territories relies on UNRWA for humanitarian assistance. The UN and World Health Organisation (WHO) have already criticised Israel of setting fire to the last functioning health facility in the enclave.

UNRWA was established in 1949 to provide support to the Palestinian refugees who were displaced during the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The UN agency offers range of services, including education, healthcare, and social services, to millions of Palestinians refugees across the Middle East.

The recent threats from Israel comes amid the ongoing siege of Gaza that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza alone, including 15,000 children.

Israel has ruthlessly slaughtered thousands of medics, foreign aid workers, among other war crimes. Israel accuse the UNRWA of being complicit in activates it claims supports ‘terrorism’.

The occupying force has cited instances where it claims the UN agency has been used to further Hamas’ political ‘agenda’.

UNRWA has consistently maintained that it operates under strict neutrality and adheres to the principals of “humanitarian assistance”.

The potential closure of UNRWA’s operations in Gaza would have dire consequences for the local population already grappling with a genocide and one of worst humanitarian crisis in decades.

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The blockade imposed by Israel, coupled with internal political divisions has led to widespread starvation and limited access to essential services.