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WHO chief urges Israel to reverse ban on UNRWA to avoid 'major health' consequences

Anadolu Agency MIDDLE EAST
Published January 30,2025
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Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (REUTERS File Photo)

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday called on Israel to reverse its ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and warned of "major health consequences."

"For decades, UNRWA has been the main provider of health services in Gaza and the West Bank. There is no alternative," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X.

"Banning its lifesaving work will have major health consequences for millions of Palestinians," he warned, saying: "We call on Israel to reverse the ban on UNRWA that is set to come into effect today."

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 Antonio 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.