Jerusalem: The UK’s Minister of State for Development, Anneliese Dodds, has warned of the serious risks associated with halting the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Jerusalem next week. Dodds emphasized the vital role UNRWA plays in providing essential medical care and education for children in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and stressed the need for the agency to be allowed to continue its operations, especially during this critical period.
According to Qatar News Agency, Dodds stated that the recent ceasefire has enabled more aid to reach Gaza, identifying UNRWA as a critical agency facing a potential halt in operations. She shared her concerns in a post on “X,” where she highlighted the importance of maintaining the delivery of aid and commercial goods into Gaza as part of the ceasefire agreement.
Dodds further mentioned her conversation with the UN Relief Chief, where she commended the recent surge in aid to Gaza. She emphasized the necessity of ensuring the uninterrupted work of UN agencies beyond January 30, underlining the importance of their support services.
The warning from Dodds follows a notification from Israeli occupation authorities to UNRWA, ordering the cessation of all its operations in Jerusalem and the evacuation of its premises by January 30. This directive is a consequence of a law passed by the Israeli Knesset in October, which bans UNRWA’s activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, under Israeli occupation since 1967.
