Heavy fighting raged in Gaza Sunday amid a fierce row over the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees that has called its future into question.
This from newsmax.com.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on donor states to guarantee the flow of vital aid to Gaza after several halted funding to the agency, UNRWA, over Israeli claims—and release of incontestable proof—that some of its staff participated in the October 7 attacks.
The Israeli army on Sunday said special forces were continuing to engage in ‘intensive battles’ in Gaza’s main southern city of Khan Yunis, where it said troops eliminated ‘terrorists and located large quantities of weapons.’
The Israeli army added:
Strikes were also carried out in central and northern Gaza.
As heavy fighting sent more people fleeing south towards the Egyptian border, the row over the UNRWA aid agency for Palestinian refugees deepened.
UNRWA said on Friday it had fired several employees over Israel’s unspecified accusations about the involvement of some of its staff in Hamas’s October 7 attack.
Donors including Germany, Britain, Italy, Australia, and Finland on Saturday followed the lead of the United States, which said it had suspended additional funding to the agency over the accusations.
Guterres said late Saturday:
While I understand their concerns—I was myself horrified by these accusations—I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations.
Further:
[T]he abhorrent alleged acts of some UNRWA staff should not mean that its thousands of other humanitarian workers should be penalized.
And:
The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met.
Israel’s envoy to the UN slammed Guterres, saying the UN chief had repeatedly ignored “evidence” presented to him regarding UNRWA’s involvement in “incitement and terrorism.”
Gilad Erdan said Sunday:
Any country that continues to fund UNRWA before a comprehensive investigation of the organization should know that its money will be used for terrorism.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called on UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini to quit after saying earlier the body:
[M]ust be replaced with agencies dedicated to genuine peace and development.
Katz said on X late on Saturday, in response to a post by the UNRWA chief warning that the funding cuts meant the agency’s operation in Gaza was close to collapse:
Mr. Lazzarini please resign.
In addition to killing approximately 1200 people, Hamas militants also seized approximately 250 hostages. And Israel says approximately 132 of them remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 28 dead captives.
Long-strained relations between Israel and UNRWA deteriorated rapidly after the UN body condemned tank shelling it said had hit a shelter for displaced people in Khan Yunis on Wednesday.
[UNRWA] said the tank shelling killed 13 people at the shelter where tens of thousands of displaced people had been registered.
The Israeli military has promised a thorough review but has also said it was examining the possibility it was a ‘result of Hamas fire.’
The Israeli army is the only force known to operate tanks in the Gaza Strip.
The armed wings of militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said:
There were heavy clashes in Khan Yunis overnight, including mortar rounds fired by militants at Israeli tanks.
Further:
Rockets were also fired into southern Israel and there was fighting in several neighborhoods of Gaza City and further north.
COGAT, the Israeli agency in charge of civilian affairs in the Palestinian territory, said:
The Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, where aid is inspected and sent into Gaza, was blocked Sunday by protesters including the families of hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing growing domestic pressure over his handling of the conflict, doubled down on his vow to eliminate Hamas from besieged Gaza.
He said in a televised statement on Saturday:
If we don’t eliminate Hamas terrorists… the next massacre is only a matter of time.
Insanely, the number of those speaking out against Israel is growing, but only few speak against those who committed the October 7 atrocities. Caution: Backing moslem terrorists is a suicidal gesture.
Do not be deterred, Israel. Stay the course, clean out Gaza of the Hamas terrorists and make that small patch of ground safe for those who call themselves Palestinians as well as all of Israel.
And, no, I am not in favor of a Two State solution simply because the Palestinians have stated in more ways than one that they are not on favor of a Two State solution.
