Israel Strips UN Staff of Visa Privileges
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Israel has declared an end to the automatic granting of visas to United Nations workers, citing claims of alleged collaboration with Palestinian fighters among some staffers.
The change will shift visa evaluations to a case-by-case assessment, announced the regime’s foreign ministry spokesman Eylon Levy on Tuesday.
Levy criticized UN officials for what he termed as "deflecting blame onto Israel" and accused them of "covering up for Hamas" during the recent Israeli onslaught on Gaza.
The move comes after repeated UN warnings of a “catastrophic” humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave, where Israeli forces have waged a devastating bombing campaign against Gaza since October 7.
Earlier on the same day, Seif Magango, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, reported increased Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza targeting refugee camps and residential areas, resulting in numerous casualties in recent days. Magango cautioned about the severe overcrowding in shelters, hospitals, and other refuge sites, stressing shortages of essential supplies such as food, fuel, and medicine.
Throughout the 81-day conflict, Israeli officials have consistently criticized the United Nations, alleging a biased focus on Israel's military actions. Meanwhile, local health officials in Gaza reported a staggering death toll of nearly 21,000 individuals during the recent Israeli war, a significant number of whom were women and children.
