Israel asserts sovereignty as UNRWA credibility crumbles, exposing Hamas links and international hypocrisy over security realities.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, claimed Sunday that its partially demolished headquarters in eastern Jerusalem was damaged by fire, days after Israeli authorities seized the compound under new legislation.
Israel’s fire and rescue services confirmed emergency crews responded to a blaze at the site in the early morning hours. Firefighters worked to contain the flames, prevent spread, and ensure no individuals were trapped. Authorities did not confirm the cause of the fire or whether it was deliberately set.
The incident followed Israel’s enforcement actions against UNRWA facilities after the Knesset passed legislation in October 2024 banning the agency from operating within Israel. Subsequent amendments halted the supply of electricity and water to UNRWA properties and enabled the seizure of its Jerusalem offices.
UN officials, including Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, criticized Israel’s actions. However, Israel maintains that UNRWA forfeited legitimacy through prolonged cooperation with the Hamas terrorist organization—claims reinforced by Israeli intelligence evidence presented in 2024 linking UNRWA staff to the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre.
A UN-appointed review panel led by Catherine Colonna acknowledged serious neutrality failures within UNRWA, yet controversially downplayed the scale of terror infiltration despite mounting documentation.
In a move Israel and the United States strongly opposed, the International Court of Justice recently ruled that Israel must allow humanitarian aid into Gaza through UN agencies, including UNRWA—an agency Israel argues has become structurally compromised by terror influence.
Israeli officials insist that humanitarian assistance must not come at the cost of national security, especially when aid channels are exploited by Hamas and backed by regional actors unwilling to confront terrorism within their own ranks.
