Gaza /PNN /

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry says Israel has been targeting the UN agency for Palestinian refugees across the Gaza Strip to force it to leave the territory and change Gaza's demographic characteristics.

The ministry made the remarks in a statement on Saturday concerning the Israeli regime's attacks on employees and facilities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

According to the ministry, since the beginning of Israel's genocidal war against Gaza on October 7, the regime has killed hundreds of the agency's employees, destroyed its centers and schools, and obstructed its work and ability to perform its tasks, especially in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

It added that the regime's assaults on the UN agency are also in line with Israel's plans to forcefully displace the people of Gaza and change demographic characteristics of the coastal territory.

"Such Israeli plans directly target the Palestinian issue and the rights of our people, most notably the right of return [to their homeland], and are an integral part of an official Israeli policy aimed at liquidating the Palestinian issue," the ministry noted.

It added that apart from the official goals declared for the regime's war on Gaza by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he is using genocide of Palestinian civilians as a means to achieve other strategic goals, which are gradually unfolding with each passing day.

Israel's genocide in Gaza has so far killed at least 21,672 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured over 56,000 others.

The Israeli occupation has also cut off the flow of basic supplies such as water, electricity, medicines, and fuel, to one of the world's most densely-populated territories that houses over two million Palestinians.