The UN has condemned the entry of Israeli forces into a UNRWA training centre in East Jerusalem, warning the move could disrupt vital education for young Palestinians.
More than 50 Israeli personnel and four armoured vehicles entered the Qalandia Training Centre on Tuesday, according to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Around 20 staff members were inside at the time.
The UN said it was the fifth unauthorised entry into the centre since May.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep concern over the incident. His spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, said the UN chief condemned the action "in the strongest terms".
"The secretary-general condemns in the strongest terms today's action by the Israeli authorities, including its security forces, to unlawfully enter and remain in the UNRWA Qalandia Training Center," Dujarric told reporters.
He warned that the incident could deprive young Palestinians of vocational education at a centre that has provided a route into employment for more than 70 years.
Dujarric also pointed to other recent incidents involving UNRWA facilities, including the demolition of its Sheikh Jarrah compound and the cutting of water and electricity to other UN premises.
"These actions against UNRWA premises are wholly unacceptable and inconsistent with Israel's clear obligations under international law," he said, referring to the UN Charter and a 2025 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice.
The Qalandia centre is UNRWA's oldest vocational school and trains hundreds of students from across the West Bank each year, providing practical skills designed to improve their employment prospects.
The incident comes amid growing pressure on UNRWA. At the beginning of 2025, Israel closed the agency's main headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah and later announced that the property had been seized by the authorities.
Established in 1949, UNRWA provides education, healthcare, relief and other services to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza.
Guterres has called on Israel to end its interference with UNRWA, vacate the affected premises and return them to the UN without delay.
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