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Israel to shut down all UNRWA offices in next 48 hours — government spokesman

David Mencer said UNRWA poses a threat to Israel's national security

TEL AVIV, January 29. /TASS/. Israel will close all offices of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in Jerusalem, stop communication with members of the organization and ban its activities in the country in the next 48 hours, government spokesman David Mencer said.

"In 48 hours, UNRWA will be expelled from Israel: no offices, no contacts and no activities," he said at a news conference.

Mencer said UNRWA poses a threat to Israel's national security.

"UNRWA is full of Hamas activists: not just the 19 that UNRWA has been sluggishly investigating, it's hundreds of employees," he said.

On January 25, Israeli envoy to the UN Danny Danon notified the organization’s secretary-general that UNRWA should cease all its activities in Israel by January 30. On October 28, the Israeli parliament passed a bill banning UNRWA activities in the country in a 92-10 vote. The bill prohibits UNRWA from having offices, providing services and conducting, directly or indirectly, any activities on Israeli territory.

The bill was put together following reports that the agency’s employees participated in Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel has repeatedly asserted that many UNRWA employees have links to Hamas’ military wing.