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Hamas condemned the US-created Board of Peace for excluding UNRWA from Gaza operations, calling it alignment with Israel, while the Board publicly said UNRWA 'fails' its trust tests despite AP reporting members had met UNRWA officials privately.

What is a key fact in this story? (1)

**Hamas** condemned the Board of Peace's decision to bar UNRWA from Gaza, with spokesperson Hazem Qassem calling it "a complete alignment with the Zionist [Israeli] position" aimed at ending UNRWA's operations and "eliminating the right of return."

What is a key fact in this story? (2)

**The Board of Peace** said on Friday that it will "only work with trusted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza and contribute to a deradicalized Strip," asserting that "UNRWA fails on those litmus tests" while claiming "UNRWA's involvement in Gaza is unchanged."

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Hamas Slams Board of Peace Over UNRWA Exclusion — SkimNews

By Al Jazeera · Summarized & edited by Kapil Samant · 2026-09-26

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Hamas condemned the Board of Peace's decision to bar UNRWA from Gaza, with spokesperson Hazem Qassem calling it "a complete alignment with the Zionist [Israeli] position" aimed at ending UNRWA's operations and "eliminating the right of return."
The Board of Peace said on Friday that it will "only work with trusted partners who will deliver for the people of Gaza and contribute to a deradicalized Strip," asserting that "UNRWA fails on those litmus tests" while claiming "UNRWA's involvement in Gaza is unchanged."
The Associated Press reported that Board of Peace members had been more willing to work with UNRWA behind the scenes than their public stance suggests, citing an unnamed official who confirmed multiple meetings with UNRWA officials but maintained that "UNRWA's days are over."
Philippe Lazzarini, who led UNRWA until earlier this year, accused the Board on Thursday of failing its mandate, saying Israeli authorities are still blocking basic aid "as part of a wider plan to keep Gaza unlivable for Palestinians" and that "plans will not keep the people of Gaza warm this winter."
UNRWA, established in 1949, has for decades provided aid and education to Palestinian refugees and is viewed by Palestinians as safeguarding their right of return, while Israel has long pushed for it to be dismantled.
Israeli attacks killed seven Palestinians across Gaza in the past 48 hours per Gaza's Ministry of Health, including a shooting in Jabalia and drone strikes in the Nuseirat refugee camp and Khan Younis, while forces in the West Bank stormed Birzeit University during final exams and closed military gates in Bethlehem governorate.

Why it matters: The Board of Peace publicly claims UNRWA's role in Gaza is "unchanged," but an anonymous Board official told AP that "UNRWA's days are over" — a credibility gap that matters because UNRWA has delivered aid and preserved Palestinian refugee rights since 1949. Hamas labeled the exclusion "complete alignment with the Zionist position," framing the Board as Israeli-aligned before it begins governing Gaza.