US ‘deeply troubled’ by Israel’s UNRWA ban

The US urged Israel to delay the introduction of a ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, an organisation that delivers aid to the Gaza Strip. Israel passed two bills banning UNRWA from operating in areas where Israeli law applies. While the bills will not be introduced for three months, the ban comes at a crucial moment for Palestinians in northern Gaza, who are under an Israeli siege. Two weeks ago, the Pentagon and the State Department told Israel that weapons shipments could be affected unless it addressed the “deteriorating humanitarian situation” in Gaza within 30 days.