Israel has denied the visa renewal of a senior United Nations humanitarian official, accusing him of promoting false narratives about the war in Gaza — a move likely to escalate tensions between Tel Aviv and the international body.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced on Sunday that he had ordered the non-renewal of the residency permit for Jonathan Whittall, the South African head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Israel.
Whittall, based in Jerusalem, regularly visited Gaza and has been a vocal critic of the humanitarian toll of Israel’s military campaign.
“I have instructed not to extend the residency permit of the head of the OCHA office in Israel,” Saar posted on X (formerly Twitter), accusing Whittall of “biased and hostile conduct that distorted reality” and violated UN neutrality principles.
Whittall has previously condemned the worsening humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, where over two million Palestinians have been caught in the crossfire since Israel launched its offensive against Hamas in October 2023.
In a statement from April, he warned that Gazans were “slowly dying” amid shortages of food, water, and medical aid.
Sunday’s move is part of a broader crackdown on UN officials operating in Israel, particularly those associated with humanitarian and human rights efforts.
Since the onset of the war, Israeli authorities have increasingly restricted visas for personnel from OCHA, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), and UNRWA, the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees.
International reactions to similar decisions in the past have been critical, with human rights groups warning that curbing humanitarian access could deepen the crisis in Gaza and erode protections for civilians.
While Israeli officials maintain that some UN agencies have shown bias or failed to condemn Hamas, critics argue the government is attempting to silence legitimate scrutiny and humanitarian reporting.
The UN has yet to formally respond to the revocation of Whittall’s residency. However, the move could complicate aid coordination efforts in Gaza, where humanitarian access remains severely limited due to continued fighting, border closures, and infrastructure destruction.
