Hamas Condemns Israeli Demolition of Facilities Inside UNRWA Compound in Sheikh Jarrah
Movement says Israeli move reflects open contempt for international law and a direct attack on Palestinian refugees’ rights
Palestine | PUREWILAYAH.COM — The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has strongly condemned the Israeli occupation’s demolition and bulldozing of several facilities inside the main compound of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied Jerusalem.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Hamas described the operation as a “blatant violation of all international laws and norms,” warning that it constitutes a dangerous escalation against international institutions operating in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Demolition Carried Out Under Direct Ministerial Oversight
Hamas said the demolition was carried out under the direct supervision of Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, describing the move as an unprecedented display of official arrogance and a deliberate act of contempt toward the United Nations, its institutions, and the international community.
According to the statement, Israeli occupation forces, alongside the so-called Israel Land Authority, seized control of the UNRWA complex, declaring that it would be transferred to state administration, placed under new planning schemes, and marketed in a manner serving Israeli public interests.
Targeting UNRWA Aims to Erase the Refugee Issue
The movement stressed that targeting UNRWA is part of a broader Israeli effort to undermine the agency’s role and erase its presence as an international witness to the Palestinian refugee issue.
Hamas emphasized that UNRWA represents a central pillar in preserving the rights of Palestinian refugees, foremost among them the right of return, warning that any attempt to weaken the agency or strip it of its mandate poses serious consequences for Palestinian national rights.
Calls for International Action and Accountability
Hamas called for wide international condemnation of what it described as criminal conduct, urging immediate action to compel the occupation authorities to halt attacks on UNRWA, its headquarters, and its facilities.
The movement also demanded that UNRWA be enabled to carry out its duties in accordance with its United Nations mandate, while ensuring full legal and political protection for its operations.
Additionally, Hamas called on international legal and human rights institutions to pursue Israeli leaders and bring them before international courts over what it described as ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people, including attacks on UN institutions operating in the occupied territories.
UNRWA Warns of Its Imminent Disappearance in Jerusalem
Earlier this month, on January 14, UNRWA warned that its decades-long presence in occupied Jerusalem is nearing its end, citing what it described as “shameful” Israeli measures.
The agency stated that Israel’s actions are part of a sustained campaign aimed at preventing UNRWA from carrying out its mandate granted by the UN General Assembly in occupied East Jerusalem, which it stressed does not fall under Israeli sovereignty. (PW)