Britain, France and Germany reiterate concern over Israel blocking contact with UNRWA

LONDON (Reuters) -Britain, France and Germany on Friday reiterated their “grave concern” over Israel implementing a law forbidding any contact between its officials and U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA.

“We urge the government of Israel to work with international partners, including the UN, to ensure continuity of operations,” a joint statement from the three nations, published by the British government, said.

The law, which was adopted in October and took effect on Thursday, bans UNRWA from operating on Israeli land and prevents the agency from having any contact with Israeli authorities.

Israeli officials have accused some UNRWA staffers of involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and of being members of the Palestinian militant group.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said in a statement that Israel was committed to facilitating humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, saying aid should go through other international agencies and NGOs.

“Humanitarian aid doesn’t equal UNRWA and those who wish to support the humanitarian aid effort in the Gaza Strip should invest their resources in organizations alternative to UNRWA,” he said in a statement on the social media platform X.

“We will abide by the law and we will continue to facilitate humanitarian aid.”

The U.N. said on Thursday that UNRWA was continuing to deliver assistance and services in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Established in 1949, UNRWA provides aid, health and education services to millions of people in the Palestinian territories and neighboring Arab countries of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.

(Reporting by Catarina Demony, additional reporting by James Mackenzie in Jerusalem; Writing by Sam Tabahriti; Editing by Sachin Ravikumar)