An Israeli law banning the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from operating in Israeli territory took effect Thursday, ushering in a new and uncertain era for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who rely on the organization for basic services in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. A twin law also forbids contact between Israeli officials and UNRWA staff, a prohibition that could severely hinder the agency’s ability to move goods and people around the occupied Palestinian territories, where generations of refugees and their descendants rely on the aid.

Israel on Thursday formally banned the main United Nations aid agency for Palestinian refugees from operating on its territory despite heavy diplomatic backlash, a move that humanitarian officials warn could have a disastrous impact on aid delivery and jeopardize regional stability in the long term. The order against the agency, known as UNRWA, went into effect at midnight on Thursday, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said. But hours later, there was no change on the ground except in the most cosmetic sense — right-wing activists clambered up the high stone walls of UNRWA’s headquarters compound in east Jerusalem, yanked down the blue-and-white U.N. flag, hoisting up Israel’s blue-and-white instead.

The Israeli government has ordered the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to cease its operations in the country, effective today, Jan. 30, 2025. This decision follows years of mounting accusations against the agency, including claims of involvement with the terrorist group Hamas. The move marks the culmination of a long-standing effort by Israel to distance itself from the organization, which it accuses of undermining its national security. The Israeli legislation, passed in October 2024, explicitly bans UNRWA from operating within Israel’s sovereign territory. The law also prohibits any communication or collaboration between Israeli officials and UNRWA representatives. Under the new rules, all UNRWA facilities in Jerusalem, including those in Maalot Dafna and Kafr Aqab, must be evacuated. The legislation also addresses accusations that UNRWA has allowed Hamas to infiltrate its ranks.