Israel announced on Monday that it had ended the agreement facilitating the work of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees. the main aid provider to Gazain what appears to be a move to implement legislation passed last month that would sever ties with the agency and prevent it from operating in Israel.

Israel says the agency, known as UNRWA, was infiltrated by Hamas. UNRWA denies these allegations and says it takes steps to guarantee its neutrality.

On Sunday, Israel said its troops had carried out a ground raid in Syria to arrest a Syrian he accuses of working with Iran. It was the first time in the current war that Israel announced that its troops were operating in Syrian territory.

Despite increasing pressure United States and other members of the international community support a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon, intensified Israeli strikes against the Hezbollah militant group expand beyond the border areas of Lebanon. Israel is also fighting a a seemingly endless war against Hamas in northern Gaza.

Since the start of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah last year, at least 2,900 people have been killed and 13,150 injured in Lebanon, the Health Ministry reports, not including Friday’s toll. Health authorities say a quarter of those killed were women and children.

More than a year of Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 43,000 people, according to Palestinian health officials. They do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but say that more than half of those killed were women and children. The war began after Palestinian militants stormed into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people – mostly civilians – and removing 250 more.

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Israel ends deal with UN agency for Palestinian refugees

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel announced Monday that it had ended the agreement facilitating the work of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, the main aid provider to Gaza.

It appears to be the first step in implementing legislation passed last month that would sever ties with the agency, which Israel says has been infiltrated by Hamas, and prevent it from operating in Israel.

The agency, known as UNRWA, denies the allegations and says it takes steps to ensure its neutrality.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had notified the UN of the cancellation of an agreement dating from 1967 which facilitated the work of UNRWA. He said UNRWA “is part of the problem in the Gaza Strip and not part of the solution.”

Humanitarian groups have warned that the legislation could seriously hamper the work of UNRWAthus creating new obstacles to resolving a serious humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel has said other U.N. agencies and humanitarian groups can fill the void, but those organizations say UNRWA is essential.

The agency provides education, health and other basic services to Palestinian refugees from the 1948 war surrounding the creation of Israel and their descendants, who today number nearly 6 million. Refugee families make up the majority of Gaza’s population.