Members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council expressed their reaction through a joint statement to the decisions made by the Israeli parliament regarding the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Following the Israeli parliament’s approval of bills that involve terminating UNRWA’s activities in the country and restricting its operations in Gaza and the West Bank, the 15 members of the UN Security Council issued a joint statement. The statement expressed deep concern over the decisions made by the Israeli parliament concerning UNRWA and called on the Israeli government to comply with its international obligations and respect the privileges and immunities of UNRWA.

Supported by the U.S., the non-binding statement emphasized the vital role of UNRWA in providing assistance to Palestinians in Gaza. It highlighted that UNRWA is the “backbone of all humanitarian aid” in the region and underscored the absence of an organization that could replace UNRWA in the midst of war.

The statement warned against any attempts to eliminate or restrict UNRWA’s activities and powers, emphasizing that interrupting or suspending UNRWA’s operations would have severe humanitarian consequences for millions of Palestinian refugees who rely on its services, with implications for the region as a whole.

Furthermore, the Security Council members called on all parties to allow UNRWA to carry out its work within the framework of humanitarian principles such as humanity, neutrality, and independence, as authorized by the UN General Assembly, and to respect international humanitarian law, including the protection of UN and humanitarian facilities.

The Security Council urged Israel to fulfill its responsibility to comply with its international obligations, respect the privileges and immunities of UNRWA, and ensure unimpeded access and distribution of all humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip promptly, securely, and without hindrance.

UNRWA provides education, health, and aid services to millions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria through thousands of employees. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned that due to the new law, UNRWA’s humanitarian activities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip under Israeli occupation are on the brink of collapse.