Israeli officials are denying visas to humanitarian groups and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has warned — an attempt not only to disrupt aid in Gaza, but also to undermine Palestinians’ refugee status and their right to return to their homeland.

On Tuesday, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that the Israeli government has “stopped giving visas” to leaders and staffers within the NGO community, after creating what many experts have called the worst humanitarian crisis in modern times. Those banned include agencies with “close partnerships” with the UN, he said.

The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Tuesday that Israel has “all but shut off” humanitarian access to northern Gaza, only fully facilitating two UN aid missions into the area in the first two weeks of September. Meanwhile, a group of 15 aid groups reported that the aid shipments entering Gaza hit a record low in August, with 83 percent of food aid being blocked from entry by Israeli forces.

“There is a deliberate attempt to eliminate and to dismantle [UNRWA] and the real reason behind this has nothing to do with neutrality issues. There are political considerations behind it,” Lazzarini said. “Ultimately, there is a desire to strip the Palestinian from the refugee status and, beyond that, also to undermine the future aspiration of the Palestinian for self-determination. And that’s the reason why UNRWA has become such a target.”

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