The United States told the International Court of Justice Wednesday that Israel must provide aid to Gaza, but the country does not have to work with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.
Israel is severing ties with the main United Nations agency that provides aid to Palestinians. With the focus largely on Gaza, the move also threatens key services in the occupied West Bank.
Israel has allowed almost no food aid into north Gaza for two weeks. Humanitarian groups say it leaves 400,000 people with the choice of eventual starvation or fleeing their homes to the south.
An independent review commissioned by the United Nations did not have a mandate to investigate Israel's other claim that a dozen UNRWA employees took part in the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
The Israeli military said it discovered a network of tunnels under the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City. UNRWA said it did not know what was underneath its headquarters.
The U.N. has announced it has launched an investigation into the allegations. The U.S., which said 12 employees were involved, said it would pause funding to UNRWA, which provides aid to Palestinians.
For over 70 years, one key U.N. agency has provided relief to Palestinian refugees in the Gaza Strip. As Israel continues to bombard the territory, UNRWA says it's struggling to keep up with demand.
The U.N.'s Matthias Schmale reflects on his time as a leading international aid rep in Gaza. He departed UNRWA this week after offending Palestinians with his remarks on Israeli airstrikes.
