Israel has accused the United Nations’ humanitarian agency of “bias” and “defamation” in Gaza and announced new actions Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that hundreds of employees of the Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, known as OCHA, are now undergoing security vetting. He claimed Israel has […]
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Israel accuses UN agency of ‘bias’ as Gaza hunger deepens and deaths increase
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Israel has accused the United Nations’ humanitarian agency of “bias” and “defamation” in Gaza and announced new actions
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that hundreds of employees of the Organization for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, known as OCHA, are now undergoing security vetting.
He claimed Israel has uncovered “clear evidence of Hamas affiliations within OCHA’s ranks” and said “key employees” will not have their permits renewed, and international staff will have their visas cut to just one month.
Danon accused UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher of abandoning “his sacred responsibility to act without bias” and demanded that he retract his statement “that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.” He said Jonathan Whittall, who heads OCHA in the Palestinian territories, must leave Israel by July 29 because of alleged bias against Israel.
OCHA spokeswoman Eri Kaneko said: “Any reduction of our own staff will stifle our already curtailed efforts to reach civilians across Gaza in urgent need of life-saving humanitarian aid.”
Israel says Gaza starvation warnings are ‘propaganda’
Israel’s Foreign Ministry accused the groups of “echoing Hamas’ propaganda.” It said it has allowed around 4,500 aid trucks to enter Gaza since lifting a complete blockade in May, and that more than 700 are waiting to be picked up and distributed by the United Nations.
The U.N. claims it has struggled to deliver aid inside Gaza because of Israeli military restrictions, ongoing fighting, and a breakdown of law and order.
Israeli official to meet US envoy in Rome
An official familiar with ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas said a top adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ron Dermer, was traveling to Rome to meet U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday to discuss the state of the talks.
The official spoke Wednesday on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the sensitive negotiations.
U.S. officials said Witkoff planned to head to Europe this week. The U.S. State Department spokesperson said he was headed to the Middle East in a sign that momentum may be building toward a deal.
Israeli military says Gaza church was struck accidentally
The Holy Family Church in Gaza City was struck last week by an Israeli shell, an attack that killed three, wounded 10 and damaged the church’s compound.
The military said an internal inquiry found the church was hit after an “unintentional deviation of munitions.”
The strike drew condemnation from Pope Leo XIV and President Donald Trump, and prompted statements of regret from Israel.
Holy Family is the only Catholic church in Gaza. Top church leaders from the Holy Land visited the site a day after the incident and said they encountered a Gaza “almost totally destroyed.”