CONFLICT
Israël beëindigt overeenkomst met belangrijkste hulpverlener in Gaza
November 4, 2024 - Israel has officially informed the United Nations of its decision to cut ties with Palestinian relief organisation UNRWA, as another UN agency warns of an impending famine in Gaza.
UNRWA on Monday said Israel’s ban on its operations would lead to the “collapse” of humanitarian work in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
The UN agency provides education, healthcare and other basic services to Palestinian refugees from the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and their descendants, who now number nearly six million. Refugee families make up the majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million population.
Israel’s notification to the UN came as the World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday warned that the humanitarian situation in Gaza “could soon escalate into famine” as Israeli forces continue their campaign against Hamas militants in the enclave.
On Saturday, a WFP official said the agency cannot serve as a replacement for UNRWA in Gaza.