Trending 
Israel has decided not to renew the residency permit of a senior United Nations humanitarian official, Jonathan Whittall, accusing him of making biased statements regarding the war in Gaza.
Foreign Minister Gideon Saar announced the move on Sunday via social media, stating that Whittall, who heads the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Israel, would no longer be allowed to reside in the country.
“I have instructed that the residency permit of OCHA’s head in Israel, Jonathan Whittall, not be extended,” Saar posted on X (formerly Twitter), accusing the UN official of promoting “falsehoods” about the ongoing conflict and violating the organisation’s principle of neutrality.
Credit: AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey
Whittall, a South African national based in Jerusalem, regularly travels to Gaza and has spoken out about the worsening humanitarian conditions in the territory.
In April, he said civilians in Gaza were “slowly dying” as a result of Israel’s military campaign against Hamas.
Saar criticised Whittall’s conduct as “biased and hostile,” arguing that it distorted the situation on the ground and failed to meet the standards expected of UN representatives.
This decision follows a broader trend by Israel to restrict access for international aid agencies critical of its actions in Gaza.
Since hostilities erupted in October 2023, Israel has tightened visa controls on staff from OCHA, the UN human rights office (OHCHR), and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
The move shows the rising tensions between Israel and the United Nations over the handling and portrayal of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where more than two million Palestinians remain trapped during prolonged Israeli bombardment and shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
