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**Summary:**

Israel has declined to renew the visa of Jonathan Whittall, the senior UN aid official for the occupied Palestinian territories. This action, according to a UN spokesperson, comes amid intensifying restrictions on humanitarian access to Gaza and concerns about starvation. The UN also reports that other UN staff are facing shorter visa renewals and access denials. These developments occur against the backdrop of the ongoing Israeli military assault in Gaza, triggered by the October 2023 Hamas attack, and mounting international criticism of Israel’s actions, including accusations of genocide and war crimes. The UN reports nearly 900 killings near aid distribution sites in Gaza over the past six weeks.

**News Article:**

**Israel Refuses to Renew Visa for Top UN Aid Official in Palestine Amid Humanitarian Crisis**

**Washington D.C. – July 19, 2025, 07:56 AM IST**

The Israeli government has refused to renew the visa for Jonathan Whittall, the senior UN aid official overseeing humanitarian operations in the occupied Palestinian territories, further escalating tensions between Israel and the United Nations. This decision, announced by a UN spokesperson on Friday, has raised grave concerns about access to desperately needed aid for the suffering civilian population of Gaza.

“We are deeply concerned that our current Head of Office, Jonathan Whittall, won’t have his visa extended by Israeli authorities beyond August,” stated Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. She also noted a worrying trend of shorter visa renewals for UN staff and a significant increase in denied access requests to Gaza for various humanitarian agencies. Permits for Palestinian staff to enter East Jerusalem have also been withheld.

The refusal comes as Gaza remains devastated by the ongoing Israeli military campaign, launched in response to the deadly October 2023 attack by Hamas. Israel’s actions in Gaza have drawn widespread international condemnation, including allegations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and war crimes investigations at the International Criminal Court. The UN rights office has reported almost 900 killings near aid distribution sites and aid convoys within the last six weeks.

“This came immediately after remarks he made at a press briefing about starving people being killed while trying to reach food,” Ms. Kaneko said, suggesting a direct link between Whittall’s advocacy and the visa decision.

While Israel’s mission to the UN has not yet responded to requests for comment, the Israeli government has consistently dismissed UN criticism as biased.

The conflict, ignited by Hamas’s October 2023 attack resulting in 1,200 Israeli deaths and approximately 250 hostages, has tragically claimed the lives of over 58,000 Palestinians according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The crisis has internally displaced the entire population of Gaza, creating a dire humanitarian situation that relies heavily on UN aid efforts. The refusal to renew Whittall’s visa raises serious questions about Israel’s commitment to allowing humanitarian aid to reach those in desperate need.

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