Israel has formally notified the United Nations that it is severing ties with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), citing allegations that some of the agency's employees were involved in Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel. UNRWA is the primary UN agency providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees in the Middle East, including in the Gaza Strip.

Israel's UN Ambassador, Danny Danon, shared the decision on social media, stating that Israel had presented “overwhelming evidence” of Hamas infiltration within UNRWA, yet the UN “did nothing to rectify the situation.” Danon declared, “The State of Israel will continue to cooperate with humanitarian organizations but not with organizations that promote terrorism against us.”

The move has raised concerns from UNRWA, which warned that Israel’s decision could lead to the “collapse” of vital humanitarian efforts in Gaza, where the agency assists millions of Palestinian refugees.

The decision follows a recent vote in the Israeli parliament on October 28 to ban UNRWA operations in Israel, which drew international criticism amid growing humanitarian challenges in Gaza. The ban and subsequent diplomatic fallout have added to already heightened tensions, as global leaders urge for renewed humanitarian support for Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict.