Israel on Monday told the UN it was ending an agreement with UNRWA, the relief agency that provides vital aid to Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and beyond.
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon made a statement welcoming the move to end UNRWA operations in Israel and the occupied territories, saying his country would instead work with other humanitarian organisations and accused the UN body of “terrorism”.
The move follows the Israeli Knesset passing two laws that effectively ban UNRWA, votes that were almost universally condemned by the international community who said it will greatly worsen the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israeli settlers have conducted another pogrom in the occupied West Bank with Palestinian property in the town of Al-Bireh torched by a mob.
Video footage showed vehicles set alight, with reports that Palestinian homes were also targeted.
Meanwhile, Lebanon continued to be bombed overnight and early Monday, as Israel claimed to have killed another senior Hezbollah figure.
Israeli says it killed commander in Hezbollah’s Radwan force
12:00 PM
The New Arab Staff
The Israeli military eliminated the commander in the Hezbollah Radwan force’s anti-tank missile unit Riad Rida Ghazzawi in the al-Sultaniyah village in southern Lebanon, it said in a statement on Monday
(Reuters)
Berlin urges boost in aid access to ‘desperate’ north Gaza
11:35 AM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies
Germany calls on Israel to let more humanitarian aid into north Gaza, where a lack of supplies has led to a “desperate” and “unbearable” situation, a spokesperson for the German foreign ministry said on Monday.
“We call on the Israeli government urgently to meet its responsibilities under international law,” the spokesperson told a regular news conference in Berlin.
“Israel has the right to self defence against Hamas within the framework of humanitarian international law,” he added.
The spokesperson was responding to a question about an ultimatum set by Washington for Israel to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza this month or face potential restrictions on US military aid.
Gaza health ministry says 33 killed by Israel in 24 hours
11:15 AM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies
The health ministry in Gaza said on Monday that at least 43,374 people have been killed by Israel, including 33 in hte last 24 hours.
The ministry added that 102,261 people have also been wounded.
Israeli military denies strike on Gaza vaccination clinic
10:40 AM
The New Arab Staff & Agencies
The Israeli military denied on Monday that it had hit a clinic in the northern Gaza Strip where health workers were carrying out polio vaccinations.
On Saturday, the Gaza health ministry said Israeli fire had hit the Sheikh Radwan clinic as parents brought their children in to be vaccinated. It said four children had been wounded in the explosion, which took place during an agreed humanitarian pause to allow the campaign to go ahead.
The military said it was aware of the reports but said an initial review showed its forces had not carried out any strikes when the incident took place.
“Contrary to the claims, an initial review determined that the [military] did not strike in the area at the specified time,” it said in a statement.
The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the incident had taken place just after a WHO team was at the clinic and that it had endangered a vital health protection campaign.
“These vital humanitarian-area-specific pauses must be absolutely respected. Ceasefire!” he said in a statement on the social media platform X on Saturday.
