Israeli forces demolished multiple structures inside the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) compound in East Jerusalem on Tuesday, escalating tensions with the U.N. agency and prompting renewed accusations of violations of international law.
Bulldozers entered the compound early in the morning under heavy security, razing large buildings that had previously housed UNRWA offices and aid storage facilities. The site has been under Israeli control since last year, when authorities ordered the agency to vacate and halt operations in the area.
The destruction of the UNRWA compound marks one of the most direct Israeli actions against the agency since the outbreak of the Gaza war and comes amid growing international scrutiny of Israel’s treatment of U.N. institutions operating in Palestinian territories.
UNRWA plays a central role in providing education, healthcare, and humanitarian aid to millions of Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Any disruption to its infrastructure has significant implications for aid delivery, particularly as humanitarian needs continue to mount.
According to UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler, Israeli forces entered the compound at approximately 7 a.m. local time, removed security guards, and began demolishing buildings shortly afterward.
“The destruction today by the Israeli occupation is another message to the world,” said Hakam Shahwan, former chief of staff at UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters, adding that the demolished structures had been used to store aid destined for the West Bank and Gaza.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned the action in a public statement, calling it “a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law.” He said the demolition followed a series of Israeli measures targeting the agency, including a raid on a UNRWA-run medical clinic earlier this month.
Lazzarini also warned that Israeli authorities have signaled plans to cut electricity and water supplies to remaining UNRWA facilities in the coming weeks, further hampering humanitarian operations.
Israel has long accused UNRWA of institutional bias and alleges that some of its employees have ties to Hamas. Israeli officials claim that a number of agency staff were involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli authorities.
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Those allegations prompted Israel’s parliament to pass legislation in October 2024 banning UNRWA from operating within Israel and prohibiting government officials from maintaining contact with the agency. UNRWA has denied institutional involvement in militant activities and has said it cooperates with investigations into individual staff members when evidence is presented.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a prominent far-right figure in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, appeared at the demolition site and shared a video on social media as bulldozers tore into the compound. “This is a historic day. It’s a holiday,” Ben-Gvir said in the video.
The demolition comes as Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, launched after the October 2023 attack. Gaza health authorities say more than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, a figure cited by multiple international agencies but disputed by Israel.
International pressure on Israel has intensified in recent months, with several governments and humanitarian organizations warning that restrictions on aid agencies could worsen an already dire humanitarian situation. Some donor countries temporarily suspended funding to UNRWA earlier this year following Israel’s allegations but later restored support after internal U.N. reviews.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region remain fragile. U.N. officials have repeatedly warned that undermining UNRWA’s operations could have long-term consequences for regional stability.
