Bethlehem / PNN /

Israel’s foreign ministry said Monday the country formally notified the United Nations that it will not cooperate with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, once new Israeli legislation goes into effect early next year.

The move follows the Israeli parliament’s approval of legislation severing ties with the agency and banning it from operating in Israel.

“Despite the overwhelming evidence we submitted to the UN that substantiate Hamas' infiltration of UNRWA, the UN did nothing to rectify the situation,” Israel’s Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said in a statement.

Israel has long been critical of UNRWA and has accused some of its staff of taking part in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

Israel has provided little evidence to support its claims, and UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said last week that the agency has received no response to its repeated requests for Israel to provide such information.

“UNRWA is therefore in the invidious position of being unable to address allegations for which it has no evidence, while these allegations continue to be used to undermine the Agency,” Lazzarini said.

UNRWA has been the main distributor of aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip where Israel’s response to the Hamas attack has devastated many areas and displaced about 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.

Lazzarini said last week that dismantling the agency “will have a catastrophic impact on the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”

Israel’s letter to the U.N. says the country “will continue to work with international partners, including other United Nations agencies, to ensure the facilitation of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not undermine Israel's security.”

Humanitarian agencies have repeatedly complained of delays in getting aid into Gaza, as well as unsafe conditions to distribute aid within Gaza to due to the fighting.