From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Remaining UNRWA sites in Israel to be cut off from electricity starting tomorrow
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
After Israel demolished the East Jerusalem headquarters of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants, Energy Minister Eli Cohen’s office says that all UNRWA facilities in Israel will be cut off from electricity tomorrow.
Their water will be cut off as well in the near future, says Cohen’s office.
The Israel Electricity Corporation sent a warning on January 6 that the electricity would be cut off in 15 days.
The electricity cut-off will affect seven UNRWA facilities, Cohen’s office tells The Times of Israel.
The sites include four schools, and a baby health clinic.
In December, the Knesset passed a law prohibiting the provision of electricity or water to facilities owned by or operated on behalf of UNRWA.
Israel has long sought to shutter UNRWA, saying it perpetuates the conflict by continuing to confer refugee status on Palestinian descendants.
It ramped up its campaign against the agency after evidence showed that employees of the agency had participated in the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.
Israel has also alleged that more than 10 percent of UNRWA’s staff in Gaza have ties to terrorist factions, and that educational facilities under the organization’s auspices consistently incite hatred of Israel and glorify terror.
The Times of Israel Community.