Israeli Police Enter UNRWA Compound in Sheikh Jarrah, Cut Communications and Raise Flag

Israeli police forces entered the compound of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood early Monday, the agency said, in an escalation of measures against an organization Israel has barred from operating on its territory.

UNRWA said 'sizeable numbers' of Israeli personnel — including officers on motorcycles, trucks and forklifts — entered the site and severed communications to the facility. In a statement the agency called the move 'an unauthorized and forceful entry' that violated UNRWA's privileges and immunities as a U.N. body.

Photographs from an Associated Press photographer show police raising an Israeli flag atop the compound and patrol cars parked outside. UNRWA staff also provided images showing officers inside the compound. In a statement, Israeli police said the action was part of a 'debt-collection procedure' initiated by Jerusalem's municipal government; city officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Background And Humanitarian Context

UNRWA provides aid and services to roughly 2.5 million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem, and to about 3 million more refugees in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. The agency was established after the 1948 war to assist Palestinians who fled or were displaced during the creation of the State of Israel.

Since the Israel-Hamas war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, UNRWA has been a key lifeline for civilians in Gaza amid intense bombardment and blockades. The agency's operations have been strained further after Israel accused it of infiltration by Hamas — allegations the U.N. has denied — and after Israel formally banned UNRWA from operating on its territory in January. The United States, previously the agency's largest donor, halted funding in early 2024.

'If you squeeze UNRWA out, what other agency can fill that void?' said Tamara Alrifai, UNRWA's director of external relations and communications, speaking to the Associated Press in Doha. She added that UNRWA has been excluded from relevant negotiations.

Other U.N. bodies, including the World Food Program and UNICEF, have stepped in to try to cover gaps left by UNRWA, but the agency says its role is difficult to replace given the scale of needs in Gaza.

Recent Tensions And Political Developments

UNRWA had closed its Jerusalem compound in May after far-right protesters — including at least one member of Israel's parliament — breached its gate in the presence of police. Some far-right activists have advocated converting the site into a settlement.

Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met U.S. officials on Monday to discuss a multi-point plan for Gaza; the U.S. mission to the U.N. said talks would cover regional security and humanitarian aid. Arab and Western officials have indicated an international governing mechanism for Gaza could be announced in coming weeks, while Hamas has signaled a willingness to discuss storing or freezing weapons as part of ceasefire arrangements.

Casualties And Ongoing Violence

The conflict has had a devastating human toll. Gaza's Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government, reports at least 70,360 Palestinians killed since the war began; the ministry does not separately classify civilians and combatants, but states that nearly half of the dead are women and children. The ministry also reports that more than 370 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire took effect. These figures are cited by the U.N. and other international bodies but are generated by the ministry itself.

In a separate incident in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces shot and killed a 19-year-old from Qalqilya after reporting he and two others threw rocks at soldiers; one suspect was arrested and another reportedly wounded. Palestinian health officials described the incident differently, saying the second man was shot and wounded.

Associated Press writer Josef Federman in Doha contributed to this report.