The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, would be effectively barred from operating in Gaza Strip by new Israeli laws, according to charity workers and families in Gaza. This could have a catastrophic impact for the 2 million people currently facing a year of violence and looming famine.
The UN chief called on the parties to avoid destabilizing developments and to urgently seek an agreement on a new common path for international arms control. He also strongly encouraged the United States and Russia to extend the ‘New Start’ agreement to provide stability and the time to negotiate future arms control measures