Hamas has issued a sharp rebuke of the Board of Peace’s decision to withhold support for the United Nations agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, citing a deliberate strategy to curtail its operations and effectively eliminate the agency’s role in Gaza. The US-created Board’s stance, as spokesperson Hazem Qassem stated, is fundamentally aligned with the Zionist Israeli position, aimed at ending UNRWA’s activities and preventing its delivery of aid to Palestinians, thereby diminishing the right of return. This decision comes after the Board of Peace announced a previous assertion that UNRWA’s involvement in Gaza would be eliminated. Qassem emphasized that Hamas will only collaborate with trusted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza and contribute to a deradicalized Strip. The association of UNRWA with the occupation of Gaza, and the ongoing Israeli actions that violate Palestinian rights, is a central point of contention. The Board of Peace, in its post on X, added that UNRWA’s programs could continue if they served Gaza’s residents well, but maintained that UNRWA’s ‘days are over’ and stressed the need for increased humanitarian aid to Gaza, demanding the opening of crossings and the provision of supplies to scale. On the ground, Israeli forces continued their pattern of violations against Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, resulting in seven Palestinian casualties in the past 48 hours, including one person who succumbed to wounds sustained prior, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported. In northern Gaza, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in Jabalia, while Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in northern Gaza, including one person who succumbed to wounds sustained prior, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported. In central Gaza, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in Jabalia, and a Palestinian was injured in the Al-Nouri Tower in the Nuseirat refugee camp. In al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in Jabalia, and a Palestinian was wounded in the Al-Mawasi in Khan Younis. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces stormed Birzeit University, raiding one of its buildings while students sat final examinations, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. In Tulkarem, Israeli forces arrested resident Bashar Odeh after raiding his home in Shuweika, and interrogated others during home searches in Zeita. In Bethlehem governorate, Israeli forces closed the military gates at the entrances to western villages, stopping residents, including pedestrians, from passing. Raids continued across other localities, including the Qalandiya and Am’ari refugee camps. The AP reported on Friday that Board of Peace members had been more willing to work with UNRWA behind the scenes than their public stance suggested. At the Board of Peace briefing to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, officials named several UN agencies as partners. UNRWA was not among them. A Board of Peace official, speaking to The AP on condition of anonymity, confirmed that board members had met UNRWA officials several times. The official said the agency’s programmes could continue if they served Gaza’s residents well, but maintained that ‘UNRWA’s days are over’. Philippe Lazzarini, who led UNRWA until earlier this year, stated on X that members of the Palestinian technocratic committee appointed by the Board to govern Gaza wanted to work with the agency. On Thursday, Lazzarini accused the Board of failing to deliver on its mandate, claiming Israeli authorities are still blocking basic aid ‘as part of a wider plan to keep Gaza unlivable for Palestinians’. The Board of Peace’s official post on X stated that Israeli authorities are still blocking basic aid, and urged that crossings into Gaza be opened and supplies be sent to scale. The Israeli military continued its pattern of violations against Palestinians across the Gaza Strip, resulting in seven Palestinian casualties in the past 48 hours, including one person who succumbed to wounds sustained prior, Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported. In northern Gaza, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in Jabalia, and a Palestinian was injured in the Al-Nouri Tower in the Nuseirat refugee camp. An Israeli drone strike near Joulis Street and al-Nouri Tower in the Nuseirat refugee camp killed another person and wounded others. In al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, an Israeli drone strike wounded several Palestinians, including a girl, while Israeli artillery shelled areas east of the city. In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces stormed Ramallah-based Birzeit University, raiding one of its buildings while students sat final examinations, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. In Tulkarem, forces arrested resident Bashar Odeh after raiding his home in Shuweika, and interrogated others during home searches in Zeita. In Bethlehem governorate, Israeli forces closed the military gates at the entrances to western villages, stopping residents, including pedestrians, from passing. Raids continued across other localities, including the Qalandiya and Am’ari refugee camps.
Source: Al Jazeera
