The UN agency for "Palestinian refugees," UNRWA, which is no longer welcome in Israel under the law, continues to operate in Gaza and has announced the restoration of many of its services.
UNRWA spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna stated: “UNRWA is currently working to open additional clinics and medical centers in various areas of the Strip. Three new clinics have been opened inside Gaza City, as well as a medical center in Jabalia in the northern part of the Strip, despite the complex situation on the ground.”
He added that the agency has managed to rehabilitate the education system for approximately 300,000 students, including 50,000 who have returned to in-person learning at 124 educational sites.
In the health sector, Abu Hasna emphasized: “UNRWA currently operates seven central clinics-four owned by the agency and three rented - in addition to 35 medical points, which receive about 15,000 patients daily.”
UNRWA has long been criticized for its cooperation with Hamas. That criticism has increased since Israel revealed in 2024 that UNRWA staff participated in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.
It then presented a dossier showing that the UNRWA workers who participated in the Hamas massacre kidnapped a woman, handed out ammunition and actively took part in the massacre at Kibbutz Be’eri, where 97 people were murdered.
Following the Israeli revelations, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the creation of a review group, headed by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, to look into the Israeli allegations.
The group said in its report that it found neutrality-related issues" in UNRWA but also claimed that Israel had yet to provide evidence for allegations that a significant number of its staff were members of terrorist organizations.
Emily Damari, a former Hamas hostage who was freed after 470 days in captivity, said that she was held at an UNRWA facility.
In April 2025, USAID revealed that the United Nations obstructed an investigation by the American government into the ties between UNRWA employees in Gaza and the Hamas terrorist organization.
Despite all this evidence, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) recently ruled that Israel must facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through UN agencies, including UNRWA. That ruling was criticized by Israel as well as by the US.