Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the closure of the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) amid ongoing Israeli air strikes in Gaza. Accusations against some UNRWA staff for their alleged involvement in the Oct. 7 Hamas assault have led to a funding pause by donors, including the United States. However, aid agencies argue that ending UNRWA operations would severely impact humanitarian efforts in devastated Gaza.
Netanyahu emphasized the need to terminate UNRWA’s mission and suggested replacing it with other aid agencies to address the challenges in Gaza. Earlier, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described UNRWA as “the backbone of all humanitarian response in Gaza” and appealed to all countries to ensure the continuity of its life-saving work.
In Gaza, witnesses reported intensified Israeli air strikes on Gaza City and parts of Khan Younis, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Hamas, which runs Gaza, is studying a proposed three-stage truce, including the release of hostages seized on Oct. 7. World powers aim to prevent a wider conflict, but tensions persist in the Middle East.
The Gaza conflict has left much of the densely populated Gaza Strip devastated, with thousands of Palestinians killed and widespread displacement. As the health system deteriorates, Palestinian medics have set up field medical points to reach front lines. The proposed three-stage truce is part of ongoing discussions involving intelligence chiefs from Israel, the U.S., and Egypt, with the prime minister of Qatar. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations urged Hamas to accept the proposal for the sake of facilitating essential supplies into Gaza. Palestinians emphasize the need for a ceasefire that brings a permanent end to the war in Gaza.
(Inputs from Reuters)