Jordan called on Thursday for allowing the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) to operate in the occupied territories after an Israeli ban on the agency's activities.
Speaking in Amman on Thursday during a meeting with UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi underscored the UN agency's irreplaceable role in providing essential services to Palestinian refugees.
UNRWA plays a vital role that "cannot be substituted by any other entity," Safadi said in his comments cited by a Foreign Ministry statement.
He also emphasized the importance of ensuring a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and the need for the immediate and sufficient entry of humanitarian aid.
Safadi urged the international community to support UNRWA's mandate, warning that restricting the agency's operations could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The Israeli government formally implemented its ban on UNRWA's activities in occupied East Jerusalem, forcing the agency to vacate its facilities in the city.
International staff left East Jerusalem after their Israeli visas expired, while local employees did not report to their offices.
Israel had ordered UNRWA to shut down all its operations in East Jerusalem by Thursday, in line with a directive communicated in a letter from Israel's Permanent Representative to the UN, Danny Danon, to UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Jan. 24.
Following the order, UNRWA evacuated its headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, where it had operated since 1951, as well as a clinic in the Old City and multiple schools, including a vocational training center.
The move came amid growing tensions between Israel and international organizations, as multiple UN bodies continue to raise concerns over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
UNRWA, established in 1949, provides health, education and social services to Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, Jordan and Gaza.
