Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on July 18, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleIsrael denies visa renewal for UN aid official Jonathan Whittall, affecting humanitarian access in Gaza amid ongoing conflict.
By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Israel has declined to renew the visa for Jonathan Whittall, the senior U.N. aid official for the occupied Palestinian territories, a U.N. spokesperson said on Friday, adding there were intensifying threats of reduced access to suffering civilians.
Eri Kaneko, spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said visas for U.N. staff were recently renewed for shorter periods than usual and access requests to Gaza were denied for multiple agencies. Kaneko said permits for Palestinian staff to enter East Jerusalem were also withheld.
WHY IT'S IMPORTANT
Gaza is in the midst of a devastating Israeli military assault following a deadly October 2023 attack by Palestinian Hamas militants. Israel has come under mounting criticism from the U.N. during its war in the Palestinian enclave, which has internally displaced Gaza's entire population and caused a hunger crisis.
KEY QUOTES
"Last week, it was indicated to us that our current Head of Office, Jonathan Whittall, won't have his visa extended by Israeli authorities beyond August. This came immediately after remarks he made at a press briefing about starving people being killed while trying to reach food," Kaneko said.
Israel's mission to the U.N. did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel has previously dismissed U.N. criticism as being biased.
CONTEXT
The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, Israeli tallies show.
Gaza's health ministry says Israel's subsequent military assault has killed over 58,000 Palestinians. It has also prompted accusations of genocide at the International Court of Justice and of war crimes at the International Criminal Court. Israel denies the accusations.
The U.N. rights office says it recorded nearly 900 killings within the past six weeks near aid distribution sites and aid convoys in Gaza.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Michelle Nichols and Leslie Adler)
Humanitarian aid refers to assistance provided to people in need, particularly during crises such as natural disasters or conflicts, aimed at saving lives and alleviating suffering.
A visa is an official document issued by a country that allows a foreign individual to enter, stay, or leave that country for a specified period.
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded to promote peace, security, and cooperation among countries, addressing global issues through various agencies and programs.
A military assault is an aggressive action taken by armed forces against a target, typically involving the use of weapons and tactics to achieve a specific objective.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category
