GAZA(Palestine Foundation Information Center) Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has warned that the situation in Gaza is “deteriorating very, very quickly”, more than a week after Israel again halted all supplies from entering the Gaza Strip.
“Whatever the intent is, it’s clearly a weaponization of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” Lazzarini said on Monday.
“It is critical that humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza again to maintain the progress made during the first phase of the ceasefire and meet people’s basic needs,” he said, adding that there remains a risk of returning to the “deepening hunger” seen before the recent ceasefire.
Lazzarini told journalists that “a fierce disinformation campaign”, legislation outlawing UNRWA in Israel’s parliament and “the suspension of funding by key donors” have taken a toll on the agency.
He warned that UNRWA cannot be allowed to “implode.”
“Collapse would create a dangerous vacuum in the occupied Palestinian territory and send shockwaves through Jordan, Lebanon and Syria,” Lazzarini said.
“An environment in which children are deprived of education, and people lack access to basic services, is fertile ground for exploitation and extremism,” he said.
“This is a threat to peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
The agency’s financial situation is also “critical and precarious”, Lazzarini added
