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SvennoJ 1 day ago
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UK pledges $21m for Gaza, underscores importance of UNRWA

The United Kingdom has promised to provide 17 million pounds ($21m) to help with Gaza’s recovery but has also warned the looming ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) “risks jeopardising the humanitarian response” in the war-torn territory.

UK Minister for Development Anneliese Dodds said the funds would help thousands of people to access healthcare, water, food and shelter and was “part of the UK’s investment in the ceasefire deal”.

“The scale of suffering in Gaza cannot be overstated and the UN, and its agencies, including UNRWA, must be allowed by Israel to do their vital work,” Dodds said in a statement.


Israel’s UN envoy says UNRWA must cease operations in 48 hours

We have been reporting on Israel’s ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which is set to come into force on Thursday.

Speaking at a UN Security Council news conference on Tuesday evening, Israeli envoy Danny Danon reiterated that UNRWA must end its activities and evacuate its premises inside Israeli territory in two days.

“Within 48 hours, the State of Israel will cease its cooperation with UNRWA,” Danon said. “UNRWA must cease its activities and evacuate all its facilities in Jerusalem.”

On Tuesday, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini told Al Jazeera the agency provides essential “human development” and public services to Palestinians on a scale only a Palestinian state could replicate.

“There is absolutely no alternative among the UN agencies and even international NGOs [to UNRWA],” he said.


South Korea expresses support for UNRWA as Israeli ban looms

South Korea has joined a long list of countries expressing support for the work of UNRWA at a special UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

South Korea’s UN envoy Joonkook Hwang told the council that UNRWA’s staff and facilities should be harnessed at maximum capacity to scale up humanitarian aid throughout Gaza, especially at this critical time of the ceasefire.

“We will continue to provide both political and financial support to ensure the basic services and humanitarian assistance provided by the UN to Palestinians in need,” Hwang said.


Seven countries tell UNSC they ‘deeply deplore’ Israel’s UNRWA ban

Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Slovenia and Spain have told the UN Security Council (UNSC) that they “deeply deplore” the Israeli parliament’s decision to “abolish” UNRWA’s operations in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“We condemn Israel’s withdrawal from the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA and any attempt to obstruct its capacity to operate and carry out its UNGA mandate,” the group said in a joint statement to the UNSC.

The bloc also demanded the “suspension of the entry into force” of the Israeli laws banning UNRWA, which they said did not comply with international law and the UN Charter.

“We support UNRWA as part of our humanitarian commitment and our firm defence and respect of international law, including international humanitarian law,” they said.