(Reuters): The United Nations has strongly condemned Israel’s decision to cut off electricity and water supplies to facilities operated by the UN Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, through his spokesperson, warned that the move would further hinder UNRWA’s ability to function and deliver essential services to Palestinian refugees.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the decision violates international law, stressing that the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations applies fully to UNRWA, its assets, and personnel. He emphasized that property used by the agency is inviolable and described UNRWA as an integral component of the United Nations system.
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UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini also denounced the action, calling it part of a systematic campaign to discredit the agency and obstruct its humanitarian mandate to support Palestinian refugees.
In 2024, Israel’s parliament passed legislation banning UNRWA from operating within Israel and prohibiting Israeli officials from engaging with the agency. As a result, UNRWA continues its operations in East Jerusalem, which the United Nations recognizes as occupied territory, though Israel considers the entire city its sovereign territory.
UNRWA provides education, healthcare, and humanitarian assistance to millions of Palestinians across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. While relations between the agency and Israel have long been strained, tensions have intensified since the start of the war in Gaza, with Israel repeatedly calling for UNRWA to be dismantled and its responsibilities transferred to other UN bodies.
The suspension of basic utilities to UNRWA facilities comes as Israel has also halted the work of dozens of international non-governmental organizations in Gaza for failing to meet new vetting requirements.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom warned that these measures would severely restrict access to essential services, including healthcare, and cautioned that one in three healthcare facilities in Gaza could be forced to close if international NGO operations remain suspended.
