Israel has ‘No Legal Authority’ to Bar Aid Workers’ Entry into Gaza – UN’s Albanese
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Albanese says Israel’s “occupation is illegal and must end, completely and unconditionally,” and that states must suspend ties until Israel complies with international law.”
UN Special Rapporteur, Francesca Albanese, has said that Israel has “no legal authority” to prevent humanitarian organizations and aid workers from entering the Gaza Strip and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories.
“Israel has no legal authority to bar humanitarian workers from Gaza and the rest of the oPt,” Albanese said on X on Thursday.
“The occupation is illegal and must end, completely and unconditionally (ICJ 2024). States must suspend ties until Israel complies with int’l law. That is the starting point for peace,” she added.
Albanese referenced a statement from UNRWA’s Director-General Philippe Lazzarini regarding Israel’s refusal to renew the visa of Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Gaza, preventing her from entering the besieged enclave.
‘Pattern of Silencing’ – Lazzarini
Lazzarini said the latest visa non-renewal from Israel “follows a pattern of actively silencing aid workers from the UN & international NGOs who are considered ‘too vocal’ about what they have seen on the ground.”
Lazzarini had said humanitarian workers “have a duty to bear witness when international law is being broken,” adding that humanitarian partners are increasingly being forced to choose between being the “voice of the voiceless” or being permitted to do their work at all.
“This pattern must end. No humanitarian should ever have to make this compromise,” the UNRWA official stated.
Israel has withdrawn the licenses of 37 international NGOs, including Oxfam, MSF, and Defense for Children International, from operating in Gaza and the occupied West Bank after they failed to comply with a deadline to meet “security and transparency standards.” The suspension took effect on January 1, and organizations will be required to cease operating by March 1.
European Nations’ Condemnation
On Wednesday, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and the UK “strongly” condemned the recent Israeli demolition of the headquarters compound of UNRWA in Jerusalem.
“This unprecedented act against a United Nations agency by a UN Member State marks the latest unacceptable move to undermine their ability to operate. We urge the Government of Israel to abide by its international obligations to ensure the protection and inviolability of United Nations premises,” foreign ministers of the eleven countries said in a joint statement, the Anadolu news agency reported.
They urged Israel to halt all demolitions after it forcibly entered the UNRWA headquarters compound in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem on January 20 and demolished it using bulldozers and heavy machinery.
The statement stressed.
“We reiterate our deep concern regarding the application by the Government of Israel of legislation, adopted by the Knesset in October 2024 and strengthened in December 2025, forbidding any contact between Israeli state entities and officials and UNRWA, prohibiting and de facto preventing any UNRWA presence within Israel and in Jerusalem including the supply of electricity, water and gas to properties registered under UNRWA.”
Israel Urged to Reopen Crossings
The foreign ministers called on Israel “to fully abide by its obligations” to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in accordance with international law.
“Despite the increase in aid entering Gaza, conditions remain dire and supply is inadequate for the needs of the population,” they stressed.
The statement also called on Tel Aviv to allow safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid, ensure the operations of international NGOs in Gaza, reopen all crossing points, “including the announced plans to re-open the Rafah crossing in both directions,” and lift persistent restrictions on humanitarian goods’ imports.
Since October 2023, Israel has waged a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, killing close to 72,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injuring over 171,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
The killings have continued despite a US-brokered ceasefire, which came into effect in October last year. Since then, Israel has killed 492 Palestinians and injured 1,356. After more than two years of this genocidal war, Israel also continues to restrict essential humanitarian aid from entering the enclave.
(PC, QNN, Anadolu)