Brussels: A senior official at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has emphasized that Israel is breaching international law by restricting aid flow into Gaza, where the population is facing severe shortages of food and essential goods as winter approaches.

According to Islamic Republic News Agency, Natalie Boucly, an UNRWA deputy commissioner general, highlighted during a recent visit to Brussels that the international community, including the EU and US, should intensify pressure on Israel to allow unrestricted aid into Gaza. Boucly stated that UNRWA has sufficient supplies, including food and tents, ready to fill up to 6,000 trucks, which are currently held up in Jordan and Egypt due to the restrictions.

Boucly noted that as winter nears and famine continues to affect the population, it is critical for all aid to enter Gaza without further delay. She mentioned that these supplies could sustain the entire population for approximately three months. However, she estimated that only about half of the 500-600 daily truckloads needed are reaching the affected area.

Boucly accused Israel, as an occupying power, of not complying with international humanitarian and human rights laws, citing the fourth Geneva convention and a recent advisory opinion from the international court of justice. This opinion stated that Israel must ensure essential supplies reach the people in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The ICJ ruling, issued on October 22, also concluded that Israel is obligated to cooperate with UNRWA. The court found no evidence supporting Israel’s claims of UNRWA’s lack of neutrality or significant infiltration by Hamas members. Despite these findings, Israel severed diplomatic ties with UNRWA, accusing it of being infiltrated by Hamas and facilitating misuse of facilities by terrorists. The ICJ noted that nine UNRWA employees were dismissed over possible involvement in the October 7, 2023, attacks, but broader claims were unsubstantiated.

Boucly reported receiving no indication that Israel would alter its no-contact policy toward UNRWA. Established in 1948 to assist Palestinian refugees displaced during the war surrounding Israel’s formation, UNRWA remains crucial for providing health, education, and social welfare services to 5.9 million registered Palestinian refugees in occupied territories and neighboring countries.

Boucly stressed the importance of UNRWA’s continued operation, stating, “It is not the time for UNRWA to collapse. We are irreplaceable because nobody can pick up the slack.”