United States top diplomat Marco Rubio says the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) “is not going to play any role” in aid delivery in Gaza, as he also rejected the possibility of Hamas being involved in any future governance of the Strip.Speaking during a news conference while on a visit to Israel on Friday, the US secretary of state claimed UNRWA had become “a subsidiary of Hamas”, echoing an Israeli government line that has been discredited by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listIn response, UNRWA insisted that its presence “remains vital to meeting urgent humanitarian needs” across the bombarded and starved enclave, where a deadly Israeli offensive has killed more than 68,000 Palestinians in two years.In a statement posted on X, the agency also highlighted that the ICJ has recognised that “no organisation can replace the UNRWA’s role in supporting the people of Gaza”.Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, also dismissed Rubio’s characterisation. “You’ve already heard us talk about how UNRWA is not linked to Hamas,” he told reporters at the UN. “UNRWA is the backbone of our humanitarian operations in Gaza.”Israel banned the agency from operating after accusing some of its staff of taking part in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack without providing evidence.Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh said the proclamation by Rubio that UNRWA was a Hamas “subsidiary” is “quite shocking” and “devastating” for UNRWA an …
