On Monday, October 28th, the Israeli parliament passed legislation to ban the United Nations Reliefs and Works Agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) from operating within Israel, East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank.
The catastrophic consequences of the ban will affect over three million Palestinians who are dependent on the UNRWA to provide basic necessities, such as food, water and shelter, in addition to medical aid and education. The Israel-Hamas War has already jeopardized the safety of all Palestinians in the Gaza area, violating countless human rights promises that were previously made.
Banning the largest organization providing support to affected civilians only exacerbates their suffering. Additionally, this act raises the idea of weaponizing humanitarian aid during times of crises, while international organizations forget the obligations they have of holding oppressors accountable.
Reason for the Ban
In the last year since Hamas’s October 7th attack, the Israeli government has accused UNRWA of hosting a whopping 450 enemy Hamas affiliates within their organization. UNRWA has since then conducted “thorough” investigations and fired nine members, while sources also claim that Israel utilized insufficient evidence in their investigation.
On October 28th of this year, Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, and his parliament issued the UNRWA ban citing suspicions that Hamas members were once again hiding within the organization. He claims that, “UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable… [but] sustained humanitarian aid must remain available in Gaza now and in the future.” However, this claim contradicts itself, as UNRWA is the main provider of humanitarian aid to civilians impacted by the war. It seems the situation is a catch-22: UNRWA workers affiliated with terrorist activities should be held accountable—but at what cost?
Humanitarian Impact
UNRWA relies on agreements with Israel to securely move its aid into Gaza, but, with this ban, these agreements will be severed, along with future aid possibilities by the organization. The eight camps established within Gaza and the 19 in the West Bank will all be deprived of food, water and medical assistance. UNRWA is also in charge of distributing nearly all aid provided by fellow UN organizations such as the UN World Food Programme (WFO). Approximately 800,000 people are reaching “catastrophe” levels of food scarcity, with over 650,000 children unable to receive education.
This ban cuts off the lifeline for vulnerable Palestinians in the war. It is a stark violation of human rights and a complete abandonment of ethical standards. Humanitarian aid cannot be weaponized under any circumstance. Yet in crises, states easily fall back on keeping perpetrators accountable. They judge from afar while innocents suffer.
Worldwide Reactions to the Ban
The U.S. has expressed explicit concerns about Israel deliberately hindering humanitarian aid for Gaza and the West Bank during their conquest to eradicate Hamas. Two weeks prior to the ban on Monday, they issued a severe warning to the Israeli government, urging them to supply an influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza within 30 days or risk having a portion of their U.S. military assistance cut off. In addition to the warning, U.S. State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, stressed the crucial nature of the ban, saying, “There’s no one who can replace [UNRWA] right now in the middle of the crisis.”
Other states and organizations have also expressed their objections to the ban. Germany’s Human Rights Commissioner, Luise Amstberg, warned that making UNRWA’s work impossible would be a “fatal step.” Executive Director of WFP, whose headquarters is in Italy, states, “UNRWA is indispensable in providing lifesaving aid and social services in Gaza.”
Israel’s decision to ban UNRWA from operating within its territories will inflict irreversible damage to Palestinian civilians. Over three million Palestinians are reliant on UNRWA to deliver necessities. Without their support, countless families, especially children, will suffer. This ban underscores the horrific use of human rights as a political tool to leverage power over vulnerable people, weaponizing aid against those who urgently need it. It calls into question the ethicality of restricting humanitarian aid during times of crisis, even as a means to draw out terrorist affiliates. Yet, in times like this, interventions seem to fall short and accountability falters. States idly stand by, criticizing from afar, while their broken promises seep into the wounds of civilians. For the sake of humanity, we need to do more.
Acknowledgement: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the individual author.
