Israeli forces have moved to demolish the headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem, in an operation described by senior UN officials as a deliberate breach of international law. Bulldozers entered the compound after surrounding streets were sealed off, marking an unprecedented escalation against UN premises in the city and raising serious concerns about the safety and status of international institutions operating in the occupied territory.

The head of the agency said the destruction was not an isolated incident but part of a broader campaign aimed at dismantling the refugee framework and erasing its political and legal significance. He warned that the presence of Israeli lawmakers and officials during the operation underscored its political nature, linking it to legislative measures adopted in recent years that restrict or criminalise the agency’s work. These actions, he noted, directly contradict binding international legal obligations requiring the protection of UN facilities and personnel.

The demolition follows earlier raids on UN-run schools and health centres in East Jerusalem, alongside threats to cut water and electricity to agency facilities. UN officials cautioned that allowing such measures to proceed unchecked would set a dangerous global precedent, signalling that international organisations and diplomatic missions could be targeted without consequence. The developments come against the backdrop of the ongoing genocidal war, in which humanitarian structures serving Palestinians have faced mounting pressure and systematic obstruction.

Palestinian groups have condemned the move as a flagrant violation of international law and called for decisive international action to halt further attacks on humanitarian institutions. They argue that the targeting of the UN agency is inseparable from wider policies of forced displacement and collective punishment, and have urged legal accountability for those responsible.