The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has called the Israeli parliament's decision to ban the agency's activities in Israel a "collective punishment" that violates the UN Charter.
"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," Lazzarini said on X.
The UNRWA head added that the bills would only "deepen the suffering of Palestinians," especially in the Gaza Strip. Such moves discredit UNRWA and delegitimize the agency's role in providing human development assistance and services to Palestinian refugees, Lazzarini said.
A number of states, including Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, have spoken out against the possible ban on UNRWA in Israel.
On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. In addition, fighters of Palestinian movement Hamas infiltrated the border areas, opened fire on the military and civilians and took hostages. Israeli authorities say that about 1,200 people were killed during the raid. In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords in the Gaza Strip and announced a complete blockade of the enclave. The death toll from the Israeli attacks has surpassed 43,000, according to local health authorities.