The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has disclosed a significant escalation in tensions with Israeli authorities, following a military raid on one of its primary healthcare facilities in East Jerusalem. Israeli forces reportedly issued a mandatory 30-day closure order for the center, immediately depriving thousands of vulnerable refugees of essential medical services.
Compounding the healthcare crisis, UNRWA officials warned of impending utility cutoffs to multiple agency facilities, including educational centers. This action stems from recent legislation enacted by the Israeli parliament, potentially leaving critical humanitarian infrastructure without water or electricity within weeks.
The agency characterized these developments as part of an ‘unprecedented legal offensive’ against its operations. Additional aggressive measures cited include systematic communications disruption, confiscation of UN assets, and the replacement of official UN flags with Israeli flags at agency facilities. These actions have created such a hostile environment that UNRWA was compelled to evacuate its staff from affected locations.
Jonathan Fowler, UNRWA’s official spokesperson, emphasized the severe impact of the health center closure, noting it served hundreds of refugees daily—many with no alternative healthcare options. Fowler condemned the planned utility disconnections as ‘anti-humanitarian acts in many ways, particularly shocking.’
In a strongly worded statement, Fowler declared, ‘These measures are shameful, and it is crucial that there be global awareness of what is happening because this goes far beyond East Jerusalem,’ suggesting the implications extend to broader humanitarian principles and international law.