WASHINGTON

The Israeli envoy to the UN sent a letter Friday to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres regarding the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) telling him the agency has to stop operations in Jerusalem by the end of the month.

UNRWA "is required to cease its operations in Jerusalem, and evacuate all premises in which it operates in the city, no later than 30 January 2025," Danny Dannon said in the letter obtained by Anadolu.

Israel’s Knesset (parliament) voted in October to ban UNRWA’s operations in areas under Israeli occupation, alleging that the UN agency’s employees were involved in a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 -- a charge UNRWA denies.

If implemented, the ban would result in the closure of UNRWA offices and the freezing of the agency’s financial accounts in Israel, effectively halting operations.

UNRWA's chief Philippe Lazzarini has frequently stressed that the agency is the "backbone" of the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip.

"Preventing UNRWA to operate might sabotage the Gaza ceasefire, failing once again hopes of people who have gone through unspeakable suffering," he said.

Established in 1949, UNRWA has served as a critical lifeline for Palestinian refugees, supporting nearly 5.9 million people across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.