Israeli police, accompanied by municipal officials, carried out a pre-dawn raid on the UNRWA headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem, removing equipment, cutting communications and lowering the UN flag in an operation the agency’s leadership denounced as a flagrant violation of international law. The move comes after months of arson attacks, protests, political interference and escalating restrictions on the UN agency’s presence in Israel, deepening concerns over the erosion of humanitarian space in the region.

Forced Entry and Seizure of Equipment

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said the operation unfolded at dawn, when Israeli forces forced their way into the sealed premises in the Sheikh Jarrah district. According to his account, trucks, motorcycles and forklifts were brought in to remove furniture, IT systems and other agency-owned materials. The UN flag was taken down and replaced with Israel’s national flag, symbolising what the agency described as a deliberate act of provocation.

A Facility Already Abandoned Under Pressure

The compound has remained unused by UNRWA since early this year, after Israeli authorities ordered the agency to vacate all its buildings inside Israel and halt its activities in the country. Lazzarini stressed that Monday’s raid is the culmination of an extended campaign of harassment, including arson attacks on UNRWA property, hostile demonstrations and a wave of misinformation targeting the agency’s mandate and credibility.

Political Backdrop and Legal Disputes

Israel banned UNRWA from operating within its territory after accusing several staff members of involvement in the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 assault. UNRWA has firmly denied the allegations, and in October the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s claims lacked evidence. Nevertheless, the accusations triggered major political fallout: the United States — historically the agency’s largest donor — suspended its financial contributions, deepening an already severe funding crisis.

Escalating Tensions Over UN Mandate

Lazzarini warned that Israel’s legislative and administrative actions, including recent laws passed by the Knesset restricting UNRWA, represent a breach of Israel’s obligations under international conventions governing the treatment of UN operations. Humanitarian organisations argue that undermining UNRWA directly threatens the stability of services relied upon by millions of Palestinian refugees across the region.