The coalition of Israeli lawmakers are trying to hamstring the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), claiming it is a tool of Hamas, Al Jazeera reports citing the Israel Hayom newspaper.

Speaking to Israel Hayom, Knesset member Sharren Haskel, who heads the parliament’s lobby to reform UNRWA, said she met with other parliament members “to try to stop funds which are being transferred from various countries to this organization, and remove UNRWA’s mask”.

In a December 30 post on X, UNRWA’s Gaza director, Thomas White, warned people in Gaza “are hungry and just desperate for food”, with 40 per cent of the population at risk of famine.

Opinion

Editorial

Removing subsidies
Updated 09 May, 2026

Removing subsidies

The government no longer has the budgetary space to continue carrying hundreds of billions of rupees in untargeted subsidies while the power sector itself remains trapped in circular debt, inefficiencies, theft and under-recovery.
Scarred at home
09 May, 2026

Scarred at home

WHEN homes turn violent towards children, the psychosocial damage is lifelong. In Pakistan, parental violence is...
Zionist zealotry
09 May, 2026

Zionist zealotry

BOTH the Israeli military and far-right citizens of the Zionist state have been involved in appalling hate crimes...
Shifting climate tone
Updated 08 May, 2026

Shifting climate tone

Our financial system is geared towards short-term, risk-averse lending, while climate adaptation and green infrastructure require patient, long-term capital.
Honour and impunity
08 May, 2026

Honour and impunity

THE Sindh Assembly’s discussion on karo-kari this week reminds us of the enduring nature of ‘honour’ killings...
No real change
08 May, 2026

No real change

THE Indian sports ministry’s move to allow Pakistani players and teams to participate in multilateral events ...