Malta's UN ambassador is in Israel for a "frank" dialogue with its leaders on a resolution calling for humanitarian pauses to allow aid in to war-torn Gaza.

Vanessa Frazier is one of eight UN representatives on the visit to meet with Israeli government officials including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Isaac Herzog and senior military commanders.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Frazier said the meetings will discuss their implementation of the Malta-led Security Council resolution in November, called for humanitarian pauses to expedite aid to Gaza. 

The visit comes amid claims by Israel that around a dozen staff of the main UN aid agency for Palestinians took part in the October 7 attack, leading key donor countries including the United States and Germany to suspend funding.

At least 12 countries have stopped funding UNRWA in recent days. Aid groups, including Oxfram, have condemned the decision, pointing to a "worsening humanitarian catastrophe" and "looming famine" in Gaza.

Frazier said she would be visiting the Kareem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza, the site of the Nova music festival where 364 people were killed in Hamas attacks on October 7 and an evacuated kibbutz.

She will also be meeting with hostages released by Hamas and families of those still detained by the group.

Speaking to Times of Malta, Frazier said she intended to ask Israel Defense Forces (IDF) representatives about humanitarian access to Gaza, its evidence for allegations of sexual violence by Hamas soldiers on October 7 and what measures it was taking to protect Gazan civilians.

"I'm in Israel to have a frank and open dialogue with policymakers about why our resolution hasn't been fully implemented and to discuss Israel’s obligations under international law," she said.

“I'll also be speaking to former hostages to learn more about their experiences on October 7 and to show solidarity with victims of Hamas," said Frazier.

She shared a video taken on the way out of Israel’s Ben Gurion airport showing a line of posters with images of Israeli citizens still held hostage by Hamas and the words, “bring [them] back now”.

Frazier said the loss felt by Israelis was immediately apparent when she landed in the country.

"You feel that a part of them also died with the deaths in October last year, and until all of the hostages are home, they won’t feel whole again. Everyone here feels that”, she said.

Displaced Palestinians queue at a UN school to receive aid from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on January 28. Photo: AFP

The UN group, which also includes representatives from Romania, Hungary, Czechia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Sierra Leone and Ukraine on Tuesday evening will meet an Israeli citizen formerly held hostage by Hamas, a meeting Frazier said she anticipated to be “incredibly difficult and emotional.”

But while acknowledging Hamas’ "ferocious, vicious and barbaric" attacks on Israel, Frazier stressed that Israel’s right to defend itself “must be done according to international and humanitarian law.”

Her words echo those of UN and EU leaders throughout the conflict for Israel to abide by international law in its war against Hamas which was sparked by a surprise attack on the country by the militant group that killed around 1,200 people.

Earlier this month, Gaza health officials said that more than 25,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian enclave since the start of the conflict.

Frazier and the other UN representatives will remain in Israel until Friday.