Israel’s relationship with the United Nations has historically been strained, but over the past year, tensions have reached new levels. On October 28, the Israeli parliament (the Knesset) passed a law to prohibit operations of the UN’s relief and works agency (Unrwa) – the UN body responsible for Palestinian refugees – within the territory it controls.

Israel’s move to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) marks a “new level” in its war with the UN, the Palestinian envoy to the UN has said. The Israeli parliament or Knesset approved bills on Monday aimed at banning UNRWA from operating in Israel.

Israel's decision to ban the U.N. relief agency UNRWA could result in the deaths of more children and represent a form of collective punishment for Gazans if fully implemented, U.N. agencies said on Tuesday.

People in war-torn Gaza are already struggling with a deep humanitarian crisis but now they fear it will get much more difficult.

STORY: Israel passed a law on Monday banning the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA from operating in the country. Lawmakers cited what they described as the involvement of some UNRWA staffers in the Oct.

With a consequential presidential election in days, President Joe Biden faces a difficult task after pigeonholing his administration into blind support for Israel.

The UNRWA agency said on Monday that Israel's ban on its operations would lead to the "collapse" of humanitarian work in the Gaza Strip.

"Following the legislation on UNRWA, we officially informed the president of the General Assembly of the termination of cooperation with the organisation."