Michelle ThompsonGhassan Alyan’s statement contrasts with the official Israeli position, which calls for the elimination of UNRWA work in Gaza.
According to Israeli media, there is currently no alternative to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip.
Brigadier General Ghassan Alyan, the head of Israeli government operations in the Palestinian territories, informed senior US officials that “at this stage, there is no alternative to UNRWA’s activities in the Gaza Strip,” according to Israeli daily Israel Hayom.
Alian’s words contradict the official Israeli position, which demands on the UN agency to cease operations in the Palestinian territory.
In a meeting with numerous UN ambassadors on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that it is time for the international community and the UN to recognize that UNRWA’s role must come to an end.
At least 18 nations, including the EU, have suspended financing for the UN agency in response to Israel’s allegations that 12 of its staff were involved in the Hamas attacks on October 7.
Last Monday, the agency opened a probe into the Israeli allegations.
Since the commencement of the Gaza conflict, Israel has accused UNRWA staff of collaborating with Hamas, providing “justification” for attacks on the organization’s schools and infrastructure in the strip, which accommodates tens of thousands of displaced people, according to analysts.
