Israel blocks UN official’s visa over Gaza testimony and 'bias' claims

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has confirmed that he blocked a visa extension for Jonathan Whittall, the head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Writing in Hebrew on X, Saar said the decision followed what he called “biased and hostile conduct against Israel, which distorted reality, presented false reports, slandered Israel, and even violated the UN’s own rules on neutrality”.

“Whoever spreads lies about Israel – Israel will not work with them,” he declared.

Whittall recently testified on the dire humanitarian conditions in Gaza and accused Israel of using hunger as a weapon. He also criticised the so-called GHF aid distribution sites, describing them as “created to kill”.