Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini warned of the ongoing violations of international humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip, worsening daily in light of the continuing Israeli occupation aggression. According to the UN News website, Lazzarini said that more than 600,000 children in Gaza are living in the rubble and suffering from deep trauma, warning that the delay in returning them to a suitable educational environment threatens the loss of an entire generation, which could lead to the strengthening of feelings of hatred and resentment. Lazzarini addressed the deteriorating situation of schools and infrastructure in Gaza, where more than 70 percent of UNRWA facilities were fully destroyed or damaged, highlighting that the agency has faced ongoing targeting, including the killing of more than 220 staff since Oct. 7, 2023. Humanitarian relief operations are being hampered despite prior coordination with the relev ant parties. In a related context, the UNRWA Commissioner-General spoke about the successful polio vaccination campaign, which managed to protect more than 640,000 children under the age of ten, amid concerns about the return of the disease 25 years after its eradication. Regarding the occupied West Bank, Lazzarini described the situation as a "silent war" boiling in the West Bank as a result of what is happening in Gaza and Lebanon, where the residents of the West Bank are suffering from increasing violations by the occupation forces and settlers. He also pointed to the escalating tensions on the Blue Line between Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories, warning that Lebanon could become a "new Gaza" if urgent efforts are not taken to prevent the escalating Israeli aggression against Lebanon. Regarding the agency's funding, Lazzarini affirmed that UNRWA is facing a worsening financial crisis and that the needs have never been as great as they are today, expressing his concern about reducing cont ributions from member states in 2025 when the Palestinians need more support. The UN official called for a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and increased humanitarian aid, stressing that political solutions are clear, but the region needs political will to achieve this. Source: Qatar News Agency
Related Posts
Jerusalem Governorate: Al-Aqsa is in danger and the world must intervene immediately to stop the occupation’s crimes
Jerusalem – Ma’an – The Jerusalem Governorate announced in a statement on Monday, September 9, 2024, that the Israeli occupation measures in Jerusalem and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and at its gates, tightening the noose and placing obstacles to prev…
Hebron Municipality organizes a workshop for students from universities in Hebron Governorate on water loss
Hebron-Ma’an- On the sidelines of the International Youth Day, the Hebron Municipality organized today, Wednesday, in the hall of the Child Happiness Complex, a workshop on water loss for students from various universities in the Hebron Governorate. T…
Second Gold Expo for shoes, clothing and leather goods kicks off
Damascus, With the participation of more than 70 companies specialized in shoes, clothing, leather goods and production supplies, the second session of the Gold Expo kicked off today.
According to the General Manager of the organizing group, Khalaf M…