ISRAELI police forcibly entered the compound of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem early today, escalating a campaign against an organisation that has been banned from operating on Israeli territory.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said in a statement that “sizable numbers” of Israeli forces including police on motorcycles, trucks and forklifts entered the compound in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah and cut communications to the compound.

“The unauthorised and forceful entry by Israeli security forces is an unacceptable violation of UNRWA’s privileges and immunities as a UN agency,” the agency said.

Police said in a statement they entered for a “debt-collection procedure” spearheaded by Jerusalem’s municipal government, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The latest harassment of UNRWA by the Israelis comes a day after Hamas said it is ready to discuss “freezing or storing” its arsenal of weapons as part of a longer ceasefire deal with Israel.

Bassem Naim, a member of Hamas’s decision-making political bureau, spoke as the sides prepared to move into the second and more complicated phase of the agreement.

“We are open to having a comprehensive approach in order to avoid further escalations or in order to avoid any further clashes or explosions,” Mr Naim told reporters in Qatar’s capital, Doha, where much of the group’s leadership is located.

Since the truce took effect in October, Hamas and Israel have carried out a series of exchanges of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners. With only the remains of one hostage still held in Gaza — an Israeli policeman killed in the October 7 attack — the sides are preparing to enter the second phase.

The new phase aims to address such issues as the deployment of an international security force, formation of a technocratic Palestinian committee in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the territory and the disarmament of Hamas.

An international board, led by President Donald Trump, is to oversee implementation of the deal and reconstruction of Gaza.

Mr Naim said Hamas retains its “right to resist,” but said the group is ready to lay down its arms as part of a process aimed at leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state.

He also suggested a long-term truce of five or 10 years for discussions to take place.

“We can talk about freezing or storing or laying down, with the Palestinian guarantees, not to use it at all during this ceasefire time or truce,” he said.