US president Donald Trump signs an executive order as vice president JD Vance watches at an indoor Presidential Inauguration parade event in Washington, 20 January 2025. (Keystone/AP/Matt Rourke)

Trump Paris deal exit – what it means for climate finance. As global temperatures hit record highs and donor countries become increasingly lukewarm to providing financial support to the most vulnerable states, executive orders signed by US president Donald Trump in the first hours of his second mandate have triggered concern among experts over climate leadership and funding.

⏳TICK-TOCK. The UN Palestinian aid agency, Unrwa, faces a critical deadline this Tuesday when two laws banning the organisation from operating in Israel and having contact with its authorities are set to come into force, making it extremely hard, not to mention dangerous, to continue work in the Palestinian territories.

What to expect. The implications will vary depending on the territory, as detailed in a policy brief by the Peace Research Institute Oslo from last week. The ban will be strictly enforced in East Jerusalem, while in Gaza, UNRWA-labelled imports will be banned, deconfliction between Israel and the agency will no longer be possible international staff will have to withdraw as Israel ends their working visas.

📖Go deeper: UN Palestinian aid agency ‘anxious’ ahead of Israeli ban

Calls for replacement. Meanwhile, in New York, Israel has been trying to push talks with a reluctant UN chief, António Guterres, about replacing the agency, which the Israeli ambassador called “a front for Hamas”, suggesting that other agencies like the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the World Food Programme could take over its services, even as they insist it isn’t within their role or capacity.
For the past year, these organisations have increased their role in some of these specific aid operations, but questions remain over key services UNRWA is responsible for, such as education and shelter.

Shaky deal. This comes as Gaza enters its second week of a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that has offered some respite for Palestinians from the bombing and has so far brought several Israeli hostages home.

The deal, however, remains fragile, as hinted by the Trump and Israeli leaders’ insinuative remarks about the ceasefire falling apart. In Jenin, in the West Bank, Israel has ramped up its attacks against Palestinian militants, further jeopardising the agreement, the UN Rights Office warned.

– Michelle Langrand