The Israeli parliament, the Knesset, passed two bills on Monday, under which the activities of the United Nations agency UNRWA in Israeli territory are banned. Apart from this, the administrative agencies have also been prohibited from having any kind of contact with him.
UNICEF said in a statement on Thursday that the UN agency’s role in providing life-saving assistance to 2.2 million people in Gaza is critical.
“The children of Gaza are already facing the greatest humanitarian crisis in recent history and this decision will be life-threatening if fully implemented.”
UNICEF notes that UNRWA is the only agency with a UN General Assembly mandate to assist Palestinian refugees.
“UNRWA provides a variety of social services. It has more than 18,000 employees in the West Bank, including Gaza and East Jerusalem, providing health, education and other essential services to Palestinian refugees.
UNRWA provides assistance and protection services to more than 5 million Palestinian refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. “No other UN agency can take on this responsibility.”
Committed to helping
Amid the ongoing war in Gaza and a massive humanitarian crisis, the UN agency is busy providing aid to the needy Palestinian population.
Flour and other relief items were delivered to thousands of displaced people in Khan Yunis on Thursday.
UNRWA says the risk of famine remains in the Gaza Strip, and it is therefore more important than ever to get relief to the most vulnerable populations.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, emphasized the need for peace in Gaza.
He laments that war only leads to destruction, death, displacement, disease, famine and deprivation. “I hope the world comes back to it. “Peace is the best medicine.”