EU Commissioner Hadja Lahbib calls on Israel to lift ban on UNRWA
European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib has called on Israeli authorities to lift their ban on UNRWA, the UN's agency for Palestinian refugees. "My main message, my first hope, is for the Israeli authorities to review this law, at least by postponing its implementation," she told journalists in Brussels on Thursday.
Israel sees UNRWA as an accomplice of Hamas, and implemented a ban after it accused around a dozen of its staff having taken part in the 7 October 2023 attacks by Hamas.
After an investigation by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), nine staff members were dismissed in August. However, OIOS added that the information used by Israel to support the allegations could not be independently verified.
The ban, which will come into effect at the end of January, has been condemned by the majority of the international community, who fear that it will make it harder to help Palestinian civilians. Israel says it intends to provide humanitarian aid through other organisations.
"Our aid must reach those who need it," Lahbib said, one day after the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. The agreement provides for allowing 600 trucks of aid per day into the Gaza Strip during the ceasefire.
"Our aid must reach those who need it"
European support
The European Commission on Thursday announced another 120 million euros in humanitarian aid for Gaza in 2025. UNRWA is one of the local organisations tasked with ensuring that the aid supplies reach their destination.
"We now hope that all access routes will reopen, through Egypt, Jordan, and that we can respond to the dramatic situation Palestinians are facing, especially in Gaza but also in the West Bank, where there is also a lot of violence," Lahbib said.
Flanders also still supports the organisation. In December, the Flemish government extended its subsidy for UNRWA until 2027, for a total of 479,000 euros.
© BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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