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.
As world leaders gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly, the organisation faces wars, displacement, climate pressures and deepening ge...
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes milita...
Nearly 130,000 people have been forced from their homes in Yemen in recent weeks as fighting intensifies along the country’s west coast, acco...
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
Nearly 130,000 people have been forced from their homes in Yemen in recent weeks as fighting intensifies along the country’s west coast, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Iranian judicial authorities have shut a French language centre in Tehran linked to the French Embassy, accusing it of “illegal activities”, including operating without a licence and facilitating the departure of talented Iranians.
Ankara and Washington are considering “creative ideas” to resolve U.S. sanctions imposed over Türkiye’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 air-defence system, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said.
Uzbekistan is stepping up investment in Karakalpakstan, with billions of dollars in projects spanning renewable energy, AI, agriculture, mining, transport and healthcare as the region seeks to create jobs and develop higher-value industries.
The EU plans to mobilise up to €12 billion ($13.8 billion) in public and private investment to strengthen the Middle Corridor, a key trade route connecting Central Asia and the South Caucasus with European markets.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment