Israel is encouraging other UN agencies and relief organizations to take over the work of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Daniel Meron, said Monday, after the agency was banned from operating in Israel in January.

"We are working in the State of Israel to find an alternative... to UNRWA's work inside Gaza," Meron told reporters, according to Reuters news agency.

Meron declined to go into details, but said Israel "encourages UN agencies and NGOs to each take on the task in their own area of expertise."