'Unrwa means everything to us': Gazans fear aid collapse

Residents of Gaza, which has been affected by ongoing conflict, are already facing a severe humanitarian crisis. However, there are rising concerns that conditions will worsen due to Israel's prohibition of the largest United Nations agency working in the region.

"UNRWA is essential for us; it provides our livelihood, our meals, our health care, and more. If it shuts down, there will be no access to basic necessities like flour. If my child becomes ill, what options will I have?" Yasmine el-Ashry in Khan Younis expresses her concerns.

"Saeed Awida, a registered refugee, stated that prohibiting UNRWA is yet another battle for the Palestinian people."

"They intend to eliminate the Palestinian population and refuse to offer us essential humanitarian aid."

Even though there was global resistance, Israel's parliament showed significant backing for the new law. This legislation will block Israeli officials from communicating with UNRWA, the United Nations agency that provides assistance and support to Palestinian refugees in the region.

The organization is being blamed for collaborating with Hamas.

"Sharren Haskel from the opposition National Unity Party, which co-sponsored the bill, asserts that a terrorist group has entirely seized control."

"If the United Nations is unwilling to rid itself of terrorism and Hamas members, then we need to take steps to protect our people and ensure they can't cause harm again."

UNRWA maintains that it remains impartial.

It states that if the new laws being proposed in Israel are put into effect as scheduled in three months, the impact will be significant, especially in the Palestinian territories that are under occupation.

Sam Rose, the deputy director of Unrwa in Gaza, stated that it would essentially render our operations in Gaza unfeasible.

"We can't bring in supplies since that needs to be coordinated with Israeli authorities. Additionally, we wouldn’t be able to safely navigate our movements in and out of Gaza, particularly near checkpoints and conflict areas."

He emphasizes that the safe status of UNRWA schools, clinics, and various other facilities housing hundreds of thousands of displaced individuals would be significantly compromised.

According to reports from Israeli media, there have been alerts from diplomats and security officials regarding the potential repercussions of taking action against Unrwa.

Israel is facing accusations of violating the United Nations charter and failing to uphold its responsibilities under international humanitarian law.

In the end, domestic political factors took precedence over these concerns.

Unrwa was established in 1949 by the United Nations General Assembly after the first Arab-Israeli conflict that occurred after Israel was founded.

It provided assistance to approximately 700,000 Palestinians who had either escaped or were compelled to leave their residences.

Seventy years later, the descendants of those first refugees are now officially counted, and the total number of Palestinians receiving assistance from Unrwa has increased to six million. They are spread across Gaza, the West Bank (which includes East Jerusalem), as well as Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

It provides them with support, guidance, learning opportunities, and healthcare services.

The agency has faced a lot of criticism from Israel for years, particularly over accusations that the textbooks in its schools foster animosity toward Israel.

Since Hamas's attack on October 7th last year, this situation has escalated significantly.

Last week, Unrwa reported that a Hamas leader who was killed in an Israeli airstrike had been working for them since 2022.

It appears that he was captured on video orchestrating the murder and abduction of Israelis from a bomb shelter close to Kibbutz Re’im.

The United Nations initiated an inquiry following Israel's claims that 12 employees from UNRWA were involved in the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel; subsequently, seven additional cases were revealed.

In August, UNRWA announced that among the thousands of employees in Gaza, nine staff members might have participated in the attacks and have since been let go.

Sam Rose emphasizes, "We've promptly responded and taken firm action regarding any claims that have come our way."

Israel has consistently expressed that the presence of UNRWA contributes to the ongoing challenges faced by Palestinian refugees, which is a fundamental aspect of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

UN officials argue that the issue can only be resolved through a negotiated political agreement.

In Gaza, home to around 2.3 million people who primarily consist of registered refugees, the recent measures taken against UNRWA are perceived as a concerning threat to their recognized status.

Mohammed Salman from Deir al-Balah told the BBC, "I believe the term 'refugee' will eventually vanish. They don't want to use the term 'refugee.' This is something that Israel is aiming for."