Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes the immediate closure of the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) as it fears this could cause a “humanitarian catastrophe”, the Times of Israel reports citing an anonymous senior government official.

“If UNRWA ceases operating on the ground, this could cause a humanitarian catastrophe that would force Israel to halt its fighting against Hamas,” the Israeli official said. “This would not be in Israel’s interest and it would not be in the interest of Israel’s allies either.”