Hamas has criticized the Board of Peace for refusing to work with UNRWA in Gaza, accusing the board of aligning with Israeli interests to end UNRWA operations and prevent aid delivery to Palestinians. The Board of Peace maintains it will only collaborate with trusted partners who can contribute to a deradicalized Gaza Strip, excluding UNRWA from its list of partners despite behind-the-scenes meetings. Philippe Lazzarini, former head of UNRWA, countered that the board has failed to fulfill its mandate and called for increased aid access to Gaza.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-26,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Palestinian group Hamas has condemned the Board of Peace’s decision not to work with the United Nations agency for Palestinians, UNRWA, and for saying that the agency will have no role in Gaza.
asserted
agency → condemn → Gaza
The US-created Board’s decision is “a complete alignment with the Zionist [Israeli] position”, aimed at ending UNRWA’s operations, preventing it from delivering aid to Palestinians and eliminating the right of return, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said on Saturday.
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Qassem → create → Saturday
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recognition → bear → fruit
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it → disable → election
On Friday, the Board of Peace said that “UNRWA’s involvement in Gaza is unchanged.”
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involvement → say → Gaza
“We will only work with trusted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza and contribute to a deradicalized Strip,” it said in a post on X, adding that “UNRWA fails on those litmus tests”.
asserted
UNRWA → work → tests
In his statement, Qassem said it was “strange for the Peace Council to adopt this hostile stance towards UNRWA while simultaneously failing to provide aid to Gaza or compel the occupation to abide by the ceasefire agreement and halt the daily killings of Palestinians in the Strip”.
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Council → say → Strip
UNRWA, set up in 1949, has for decades provided aid and education services to Palestinian refugees and preserved their national rights.
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UNRWA → set → rights
Palestinians see the agency as safeguarding their right of return to their homeland, while Israel wants it dismantled.
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it → see → homeland
The Associated Press reported on Friday that Board of Peace members had been more willing to work with UNRWA behind the scenes than their public stance suggested.
uncertain
stance → report → scenes
At the Board of Peace briefing to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, officials named several UN agencies as partners.
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officials → name → partners
However, a Board of Peace official, speaking to The AP on condition of anonymity, confirmed that board members had met UNRWA officials several times.
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members → speak → officials
The official said the agency’s programmes could continue if they served Gaza’s residents well, but maintained that “UNRWA’s days are over”.
uncertain
days → say → residents
Philippe Lazzarini, who led UNRWA until earlier this year, told The AP that members of the Palestinian technocratic committee appointed by the Board to govern Gaza wanted to work with the agency.
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members → lead → agency
On Thursday, Lazzarini accused the Board of failing to deliver on its mandate, saying in a post on X that Israeli authorities are still blocking basic aid “as part of a wider plan to keep Gaza unlivable for Palestinians”.
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authorities → accuse → Palestinians
“Grandiose plans is what the Board of Peace does best.
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Board → do → Peace
Plans however will not keep the people of Gaza warm this winter,” he added, urging that crossings into Gaza be opened and supplies let in at scale.
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crossings → keep → scale
Gaza, West Bank attacks continue
On the ground on Saturday, Israel’s pattern of violations against Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank continued.
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pattern → continue → Gaza
Israeli attacks killed seven Palestinians across the Gaza Strip in the past 48 hours, including one person who succumbed to wounds sustained prior, Gaza’s Ministry of Health said.
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Ministry → kill → Health
In northern Gaza, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian in Jabalia, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
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agency → shoot → Jabalia
An Israeli drone strike near Joulis Street and al-Nouri Tower in the Nuseirat refugee camp killed another person and wounded others.
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strike → kill → others
In al-Mawasi in Khan Younis, an Israeli drone strike wounded several Palestinians, including a girl, while Israeli artillery shelled areas east of the city.
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artillery → wound → city
An Israeli quadcopter also opened fire on Salah al-Din Street in central Gaza, wounding three people, including another girl.
Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces stormed Ramallah-based Birzeit University, raiding one of its buildings while students sat final examinations, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
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students → open → agency
In Tulkarem, forces arrested resident Bashar Odeh after raiding his home in Shuweika, and interrogated others during home searches in Zeita.
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forces → arrest → Zeita
In Bethlehem governorate, Israeli forces closed the military gates at the entrances to western villages, stopping residents, including pedestrians, from passing.
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forces → close → pedestrians
Raids continued across other localities, including the Qalandiya and Am’ari refugee camps.
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Raids → continue → camps
The Aporia
