The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, has accused Israel of weaponising humanitarian aid with its blockade of goods and electricity into Gaza. Speaking in Geneva, Philippe Lazzarini warned of a renewed hunger crisis if aid supplies did not resume.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Israel is actively encouraging U.N. agencies and other aid groups to take over the work of the U.N. Palestinian relief agency (UNRWA) in Gaza, Israel's ambassador said on Monday, after banning the agency on Israeli territory in January.

As a tenuous ceasefire verges on collapse, Israel says it will take direct control of all humanitarian aid entering and distributed inside Gaza, according to agencies briefed on the plan.

Israel said Monday that it was "encouraging" other UN agencies and NGOs to take over the assistance provided in war-ravaged Gaza by UNRWA, after Israel cut ties with the aid agency. Israel, he said, was actively "encouraging UN agencies and NGOs to take over".