UNRWA carries on aid work despite Israeli ban and hostilities

 The U.N. Palestinian relief agency (UNRWA) said its humanitarian work across the occupied territories and Gaza was still ongoing on Friday despite an Israeli ban that took effect a day before and what it described as hostility towards its staff.

An Israeli law adopted in October bans operations by UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) on Israeli land - including annexed East Jerusalem - and contact with Israeli authorities from Jan. 30.

"We continue to provide services," Juliette Touma, director of communications of UNRWA, told a press briefing in Geneva.

"In Gaza, UNRWA continues to be the backbone of the international humanitarian response. We continue to have international personnel in Gaza, and we continue to bring in trucks of basic supplies."

She said any disruptions to its work in Gaza would put a ceasefire deal that halted the war between Israel and Hamas at risk.

"If UNRWA is not allowed to continue to bring and distribute supplies, then the fate of this very fragile ceasefire is going to be at risk and is going to be in jeopardy," she said.


Reuters