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'Without UNRWA, food delivery, healthcare, education and other services would be drastically undermined in occupied Palestinian territory, with direct and dire impacts on human rights of tens of thousands of Palestinians,' says office
The UN human rights office on Thursday called for repealing an Israeli law that imposed a ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), saying that the ban would “drastically undermine” humanitarian assistance.
"Without UNRWA, food delivery, healthcare, education and other services would be drastically undermined in the occupied Palestinian territory, with direct and dire impacts on the human rights of tens of thousands of Palestinians," the office said on X.
“Israel's law restricting UNRWA's essential work should be repealed," it said.
The Israeli government formally implemented its ban on UNRWA's activities in occupied East Jerusalem, forcing the agency to vacate its facilities in the city.
International staff left East Jerusalem after their Israeli visas expired, while local employees did not report to their offices.
Israel had ordered UNRWA to shut down all its operations in East Jerusalem by Thursday, in line with a directive communicated in a letter from Israel's Permanent Representative to the UN Danny Danon to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Jan. 24.
Following the order, UNRWA evacuated its headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, where it had operated since 1951, as well as a clinic in the Old City and multiple schools, including a vocational training center.
The move came amid growing tensions between Israel and international organizations, as multiple UN bodies continue to raise concerns over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
UNRWA, established in 1949, provides health, education and social services to Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, Jordan and Gaza.
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