Israel has vowed to prevent the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from resuming operations in the Gaza Strip, despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering it to facilitate humanitarian assistance and ensure basic needs for civilians in the besieged enclave.
A senior Israeli official told the public broadcaster Kan Reshet Bet on Thursday that "for us, UNRWA will never set foot in Gaza again".
The official, who is involved in shaping Israel's policy on the territory, claimed that "every UN agency that entered Gaza has failed miserably in its duties or fallen under Hamas control. Therefore, as far as Israel is concerned, UNRWA will not be allowed to return to operate in the Strip".
The remarks came a day after the ICJ in The Hague had ruled that Israel must not use starvation as a weapon of war and, as an occupying power, must enable relief efforts if the local population is deprived of essential supplies.
The court rejected Israel’s claims that a significant portion of UNRWA employees were affiliated with Hamas, saying the government had not provided sufficient evidence to support its allegations or to demonstrate that the agency lacked independence.
The ICJ also stated that it "sees no reason to refuse consideration of the advisory opinion requested by the UN General Assembly regarding Israel’s obligations to allow aid into Gaza", stressing that "Israel has no right to apply its domestic laws to the occupied Palestinian territories or to prevent Palestinians from exercising their right to self-determination".
According to the same Israeli official, Tel Aviv has communicated its position on UNRWA to the United States "in the hope that the Americans will see things as Israel does on this issue".
The comments follow reports that Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, told Israeli officials during a recent visit that there was "significant coordination between Israel and the United Nations regarding humanitarian aid to Gaza".
Israel had reportedly anticipated the ICJ ruling and swiftly rejected it, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs saying the decision was politically motivated.
"Israel categorically rejects the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which was entirely predictable from the outset regarding UNRWA," Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein wrote on X, adding that "this is yet another political attempt to impose political measures against Israel under the guise of international law".
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, also criticised the ICJ’s decision, calling it “disgraceful.” “We expect the Court to look at what Hamas is doing in Gaza, not to hold Israel responsible,” he said.
UNRWA, established in 1949, provides education, healthcare, and humanitarian assistance to millions of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.
The agency has been under severe strain since Israel accused several of its employees of involvement in Haams's surprise attack on 7 October 2023, without any evidence.
The allegations prompted several donor countries to suspend funding early in 2024, though most later reinstated it after independent reviews found little or no substantiating evidence.
Some argue that Israel’s allegations had been used as a tool to restrict UNRWA’s operations in Gaza - effectively blocking or delaying vital humanitarian aid by framing the agency as compromised.