United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned a move by Israel to ban electricity or water to facilities owned by the UN Palestinian refugee agency, a UN spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the move would "further impede" the agency's ability to operate and carry out activities.
"The Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations remains applicable to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), its property and assets, and to its officials and other personnel.
UNRWA Commissioner General Phillipe Lazzarini also condemned the move, saying that it was part of an ongoing " systematic campaign to discredit UNRWA and thereby obstruct" the role it plays in providing assistance to Palestinian refugees.
In 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning the agency from operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the agency.
The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
It has long had tense relations with Israel but ties have deteriorated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza and Israel has called repeatedly for UNRWA to be disbanded, with its responsibilities transferred to other UN agencies.
The prohibition of basic utilities to the UN agency came as Israel also suspended of dozens of international non-governmental organisations working in Gaza due to a failure to meet new rules to vet those groups.
In a joint statement, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom said on Tuesday such a move would have a severe impact on the access of essential services, including healthcare.
They said one in three healthcare facilities in Gaza would close if international NGO operations stopped.
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Afghanistan is confronting an escalating humanitarian emergency as freezing winter conditions, widespread food insecurity and sharp reductions in international aid leave millions struggling to survive, aid agencies have warned.
The United Nations says Israeli crews have begun bulldozing the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) headquarters in east Jerusalem. The move comes amid increasing crackdowns on humanitarian groups.
China said on Tuesday that the United States has invited Beijing to take part in President Donald Trump’s proposed 'Board of Peace' initiative on Gaza.
Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93, his foundation said on Monday.
More than 100 vehicles were involved in a massive pileup on Interstate 96 in western Michigan on Monday (19 January), forcing the highway to shut in both directions amid severe winter weather.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would impose a 200% tariff on French wines and champagnes after France declined to join his proposed Board of Peace on Gaza initiative.
Syria's Interior Ministry said on Tuesday that about 120 Islamic State detainees escaped from Shaddadi prison, after the Kurdish website Rudaw reported that a spokesperson for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Farhad Shami, said around 1,500 Islamic State members had escaped.
Syrian government troops tightened their grip across a swathe of northern and eastern territory on Monday after it was abruptly abandoned by Kurdish forces in a dramatic shift that has consolidated President Ahmed al-Sharaa's rule.
Azerbaijan said on Wednesday that it had accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to join his 'Board of Peace' for Gaza.
Syria has announced a four-day ceasefire with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) after rapid government advances across the northeast.
Türkiye is closely monitoring developments in Syria and considers the country’s unity and territorial integrity vital for regional stability, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told President Donald Trump during a phone call on Tuesday, according to Türkiye’s Communications Directorate.
President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev outlined Azerbaijan’s economic priorities, investment strategy and regional connectivity role while speaking at the Euronews Davos Azerbaijan Executive Breakfast on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.
At the World Economic Forum’s “Defining Eurasia’s Economic Identity” panel on 20 January 2026, leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Serbia discussed how the South Caucasus and wider Eurasian region can strengthen economic ties, peace and geopolitical stability amid shifting global influence.
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