Israeli police and military forces have taken control of a technical training centre operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem, according to the report. The Kalandiya training centre, located in the occupied West Bank, was entered by Israeli forces on Tuesday morning.
At least four armoured vehicles and more than 50 security personnel were involved in the operation, with Israeli police and soldiers entering the UNRWA facility. The move has drawn strong condemnation from the UN agency, which described the premises as a protected United Nations site.
Shortly after the operation, Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a photograph of the facility on X, formerly known as Twitter. Alongside the image, he wrote: “UNRWA is now in our hands.”
The Kalandiya centre is one of UNRWA’s oldest technical education facilities and has played a role in providing vocational training to Palestinians. The agency has long maintained education, health and humanitarian services for Palestinian refugees across the region, making its facilities an important part of the support system available to refugee communities.
UNRWA said the Israeli entry and takeover of the protected premises constituted an unlawful intrusion. The agency called on the international community to act immediately to safeguard the integrity of UN facilities in East Jerusalem, including the training centre.
The incident comes amid continuing tensions over UNRWA’s operations and facilities in East Jerusalem and the wider occupied Palestinian territories. The status and activities of the agency have become increasingly contentious as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has intensified, with UN facilities repeatedly caught up in broader political and security disputes.
Gaza authorities warn parents against children flying kites
Meanwhile, local authorities in Gaza have instructed parents to prevent children from flying kites, following threats from Israel over kites, balloons and drones being sent towards Israeli territory.
Local committees in Gaza issued the warning after Israeli leaders threatened to target people involved in sending such objects. In a statement, the authorities said their intention was not to restrict children’s childhood activities, but to protect them from potential harm amid the continuing conflict.
The warning followed comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday. He said the launching of kites, balloons or drones towards Israel must stop immediately and warned that those responsible could become targets for lethal action. He also threatened to evacuate areas from which such objects were being launched.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz repeated the threat, reinforcing concerns among residents in Gaza about the potential consequences of such activities.
For children in the territory, the warning highlights how the conflict has extended into even ordinary aspects of daily life. Activities that would normally be regarded as harmless childhood recreation have become associated with security concerns because of the use of kites, balloons and drones in cross-border incidents.
The two developments also underline the broader pressure surrounding civilian life and humanitarian operations in the Palestinian territories. While the UNRWA dispute centres on the status and protection of a United Nations facility in East Jerusalem, the warning in Gaza reflects the increasingly direct impact of the conflict on children and families living amid persistent insecurity.
