United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued an urgent appeal to the Israeli government, calling for the retraction of a recently adopted law that effectively bans the operations of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

The law, set to take effect this week, has raised significant concerns over its impact on Palestinian communities and the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza.

In a letter addressed to Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon, Guterres expressed deep regret over the decision and emphasized UNRWA’s irreplaceable role. “I regret this decision and request that the Government of Israel retract it,” Guterres wrote in the letter, obtained by VOA. He added that no other organization has the capacity or mandate to provide the critical services delivered by UNRWA.

The controversial legislation, passed by the Knesset on October 28, 2024, prohibits UNRWA from operating within Israel’s sovereign territory. Israeli authorities have accused some UNRWA staff of involvement in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, allegations that led to the dismissal of nine UNRWA employees following a U.N. investigation.

“The legislation forbids UNRWA from operating within the sovereign territory of the state of Israel and forbids any contact between Israeli officials and UNRWA,” Ambassador Danon stated on Tuesday. He further declared that the agency must cease all operations and evacuate its headquarters in East Jerusalem immediately.

The ban has sparked alarm among U.N. officials and humanitarian agencies. At a U.N. Security Council meeting on Tuesday, UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini warned that the move could have disastrous consequences, particularly for Gaza.

“Across the Gaza Strip, Palestinians are turning to UNRWA — the agency they have known all their lives — for support,” Lazzarini stated. “Curtailing our operations now — outside a political process, and when trust in the international community is so low — will undermine the ceasefire. It will sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition.”

UNRWA has been a lifeline for Palestinians, providing essential services such as food assistance, shelter, health care, and education. According to Lazzarini, the agency has delivered two-thirds of all food aid in Gaza since October 2023, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons, and vaccinated 250,000 children against polio.

The U.N. has stressed that if UNRWA’s operations are dismantled, Israel, as the occupying power, would bear the legal responsibility for ensuring the provision of essential services to the Palestinian population.

Despite Israel’s claims that other aid organizations can take over UNRWA’s work, Lazzarini argued that the agency’s scale and expertise cannot be easily replaced. “We are determined, however, to stay and deliver until it is no longer possible to do so,” he asserted.

Guterres urged Israel to engage in discussions about the law and its implications. He described Israel’s unilateral demand that UNRWA cease operations and vacate its premises within less than a week as “unreasonable and inconsistent” with its international obligations.

The enforcement of this legislation could further strain relations between Israel and the international community, while jeopardizing vital humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinians. The U.N. continues to advocate for dialogue and a resolution that ensures the rights and well-being of Palestinian refugees are upheld. (ILKHA)