Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has confirmed that he ordered the expulsion of United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Head for the Palestinian territories Jonathan Whittall, refusing to extend his visa, Drop Site News reports.

Sa’ar accused Whittall of “bias” and “slander,” claiming the UN official violated neutrality standards—an increasingly common Israeli charge against humanitarian agencies that document its abuses. “There’s a limit to every scheme,” Sa’ar wrote, referring to OCHA’s reporting on Israel’s systematic targeting of civilians and obstruction of aid.

Whittall, who has split his time between Gaza and Jerusalem, has stated that Gaza’s aid sites are “created to kill,” describing the conditions on the ground as “weaponised hunger” and “a death sentence for people just trying to survive.”

Whittall also accompanied Red Crescent teams as they uncovered the bodies of 15 Palestinian medical workers who were executed at close range by Israeli troops and buried in Rafah.

Whittall is not the only target. Visas for at least two other senior UN officials, including from UNRWA and the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), have also gone unrenewed in recent months — a move the UN says is clearly retaliatory.

Opinion

Editorial

Budget presser
Updated 14 Jun, 2026

Budget presser

If the FBR falters, the government will find itself in hot water sooner rather than later.
Muharram precautions
14 Jun, 2026

Muharram precautions

WITH Muharram due to start next week, the authorities have already begun annual exercises to ensure that the ...
Blood bequests
14 Jun, 2026

Blood bequests

WORLD Blood Donor Day offers a moment of “gratitude, advocacy and renewed commitment” for thalassaemia patients...
Sustainable path?
Updated 13 Jun, 2026

Sustainable path?

The FY27 budget is the first clear signal that the government is ready to transition from stabilisation to growth.
Prioritising education
13 Jun, 2026

Prioritising education

THOUGH the improvement in the country’s literacy rate may be slight, as highlighted by the Economic Survey, it ...
Poverty’s rise
13 Jun, 2026

Poverty’s rise

AS attention turns to the government’s plans for the coming fiscal year, one set of figures deserves particular...