Israel’s parliament voted yesterday to ban the UN relief and works agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from the country within 90 days.

The Knesset banned the agency from conducting “any activity” or providing any service inside Israel, including the areas of East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. 

The legislation will take effect 60 to 90 days after Israel’s foreign ministry notifies the UN, according to the spokesman for politician Dan Illouz, one of the co-sponsors of one of the bills.

UNRWA provides education, health care and other basic services to millions of Palestinian refugees across the region, including in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the new laws “could have devastating consequences” for Palestinian refugees in Gaza and the West Bank.

UNRWA’s chief Philippe Lazzarini has warned the ban “will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians, especially in Gaza”.

UNRWA has come under repeated attack from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who says it has links to Hamas and other militant groups – something the group disputes.

When Israel first brought the accusations against UNRWA, it initially led top donor countries to suspend their funding for the agency.

The UK resumed its funding of the agency in July, just weeks after the Labour Party was elected.