'Israeli' forces raid UNRWA office in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Jerusalem
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- 'Israeli' forces raid UNRWA office in Sheikh Jarrah, confiscating guards’ phones and disrupting operations.
Local sources reported that Israeli Occupation Forces raided the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) office in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem on Monday morning.
According to the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA), the forces conducted searches inside the office and confiscated the security guards’ phones.
Jerusalem Governorate stated that reinforced 'Israeli' troops stormed the office in the early hours, detained the security personnel, and seized their phones, cutting off communication and making it impossible to know what was happening inside the building.
The area was completely closed, and 'Israeli' forces carried out extensive searches throughout the premises.
The governorate condemned the raid as a blatant violation of international law and a serious assault on the immunity and dignity of UN institutions. It highlighted that the action breaches the UN Charter and Security Council Resolution 2730 (May 24, 2024), which obliges states to respect and protect UN institutions and humanitarian workers—a protection that applies directly to UNRWA, its staff, and its facilities.
The raid comes amid a series of attacks by settlers and 'Israeli' parliament members following the 'Israeli' government’s ban on UNRWA operations in East Jerusalem, which took effect on January 30. This decision led international staff to leave the city after their 'Israeli' permits expired, while local employees were not present at the office during the raid.
The governorate reiterated that East Jerusalem remains occupied territory under international law and that targeting a UN agency serving refugees undermines the international system and UN authority. It also stressed that the raid directly challenges the recent UN General Assembly decision to renew UNRWA’s mandate.
Jerusalem authorities called on the international community to condemn 'Israel’s' recent measures, hold it accountable for violating international law, and ensure justice for the Palestinian people and their national and UN institutions.
