Israel’s relationship with the United Nations has historically been strained, but over the past year, tensions have reached new levels. On October 28, the Israeli parliament (the Knesset) passed a law to prohibit operations of the UN’s relief and works agency (Unrwa) – the UN body responsible for Palestinian refugees – within the territory it controls.

Humanitarian agencies fear the new Israeli laws could have catastrophic effects for Gazans. They are already drawing sharp criticism from Israel’s allies.

Legislation passed by Israel's Knesset is the latest move in the long-standing feud between the U.N. agency and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.