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UNRWA Says Determined to Keep Working in Gaza Despite Israeli Ban

Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, attends a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution, at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. Heiko Junge/NTB/via REUTERS
Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, attends a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution, at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. Heiko Junge/NTB/via REUTERS
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UNRWA Says Determined to Keep Working in Gaza Despite Israeli Ban

Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, attends a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution, at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. Heiko Junge/NTB/via REUTERS
Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, attends a meeting of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two-state solution, at Oslo City Hall in Oslo, Norway, January 15, 2025. Heiko Junge/NTB/via REUTERS

The head of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees said Friday it is determined to keep working in Gaza and the occupied West Bank after an Israeli ban on its operations takes effect Jan. 30.

Philippe Lazzarini told reporters that shutting down the agency known as UNRWA would “massively weaken the international humanitarian response” in Gaza.

That’s because UNRWA is the only body capable of providing essential health care and education in Gaza, he said, which will be especially needed once the ceasefire takes effect.

Israel alleges Hamas and other militants in Gaza have infiltrated UNRWA, using its facilities and taking aid — claims for which it has provided little evidence.

Established in 1949, UNRWA offers support to the 6 million Palestinian refugees and their descendants around the Mideast.

Right now, nearly all of the 2 million Palestinians in Gaza rely on the agency for primary health care, and its 650,000 children depend on UNRWA for education. Lazzarini said ending UNRWA’s operations would be “catastrophic.”

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Thousands in London Rally for Fully Implementing Ceasefire Agreement in Gaza

Protesters holding placards and flags face a line of police at Trafalgar Square in central London at a National demonstration for Palestine, on January 18, 2025, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL / AFP)
Protesters holding placards and flags face a line of police at Trafalgar Square in central London at a National demonstration for Palestine, on January 18, 2025, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL / AFP)
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Thousands in London Rally for Fully Implementing Ceasefire Agreement in Gaza

Protesters holding placards and flags face a line of police at Trafalgar Square in central London at a National demonstration for Palestine, on January 18, 2025, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL / AFP)
Protesters holding placards and flags face a line of police at Trafalgar Square in central London at a National demonstration for Palestine, on January 18, 2025, organized by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL / AFP)

Thousands of people turned out in the streets of London on Saturday for a mass pro-Palestinian rally to call for the full implementation of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement.

The Metropolitan Police force said about two dozen people were arrested after some protesters broke through a police line containing the rally and failed to disperse according to police instructions. One man was detained on suspicion of supporting banned organizations, while four others were detained over public order offenses.

The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which has organized many huge rallies in London since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023, said the movement will not stop despite the ceasefire agreement.

“We have ongoing demands. We need this ceasefire to be enforced. We need a withdrawal of all Israeli troops from Gaza. we need everyone held in illegal detention — including 10,000 Palestinians held in Israeli jails, in prison camps in Gaza — to be released,” said the campaign’s director, Ben Jamal.

Protesters were also calling for the UK government to pressure Israel to end its oppression of Palestinians, he added.