The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, said on Wednesday that Israel is besieging at least 400,000 people in the northern Gaza Strip.
Lazzarini added, in press statements, “We were forced to close a number of the agency’s shelter centers for the first time since the start of the war in Gaza,” considering that “the recent Israeli evacuation orders are forcing people to flee again and again, especially from the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip.”
Lazzarini pointed out that many people refuse to evacuate because they know very well that there is no safe place in Gaza, warning that the recent military operation threatens the implementation of the second phase of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza.
For his part, Guterres warned, in writing, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, of catastrophic consequences if the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) was prevented from carrying out its activities.
Guterres said in a press conference that he “wrote directly to Netanyahu to express his deep concern about the draft law, which may prevent UNRWA from continuing its necessary work in the occupied Palestinian territory.”
Guterres considered that “such a measure would stifle efforts aimed at alleviating human suffering and tensions in Gaza, and even in the entire occupied Palestinian territory, and would constitute a catastrophe in light of a complete catastrophe,” according to what the United Nations website reported in Arabic.
“Such legislation would constitute a massive setback to efforts for sustainable peace and a two-state solution – leading to further instability and insecurity,” Guterres said.
Guterres criticized the way the war was being conducted, considering it “fundamentally wrong.” He added: “No right is protected in Gaza and no person is safe there.”
Guterres’ statements came as he commented on a draft law approved by the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in the Israeli Knesset, which aims to end the activities and benefits of UNRWA in Israel.
Last week, Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz announced that Guterres was “persona non grata,” meaning he was banned from entering Israel, criticizing his lack of explicit condemnation of the Iranian missile attack on Israel on Tuesday.
It is worth noting that 223 UNRWA employees have been killed, and the majority of its facilities and schools in Gaza have been damaged and destroyed since the war broke out in October 2023.
Source: RT + agencies
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Israeli settlements in Gaza map
A Humanitarian Crisis Unfolds: Gaza Under Siege
As I sit down to write this analysis, my heart aches for the countless innocent lives caught in the midst of a brewing humanitarian disaster. The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, has sounded the alarm, stating that Israel is besieging at least 400,000 people in the northern Gaza Strip. The situation is dire, and it’s imperative that we grasp the severity of this crisis.
The numbers are staggering. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 25,000 people have been killed, and over 65,000 wounded [[2]]. These figures paint a grim picture of a region ravaged by conflict and violence. The ongoing hostilities in Gaza and Israel, coupled with a surge in violence in the West Bank, have left millions of Palestinians struggling to survive with dignity under Israeli rule [[1]].
The recent Israeli evacuation orders have forced people to flee repeatedly, particularly from the Jabalia camp in the northern Gaza Strip. Lazzarini’s words echo the desperation of those trapped in this endless cycle of violence: “many people refuse to evacuate because they know very well that there is no safe place in Gaza” [[text]]. This is a chilling reality, one that highlights the utter desperation of those living in Gaza.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, the United Nations Secretary-General, Guterres, has warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the catastrophic consequences if the UNRWA is prevented from carrying out its activities [[text]]. This is a stark reminder of the importance of humanitarian aid in regions ravaged by conflict.
The 16-year blockade on Gaza has left the health system severely under-resourced, escalating the crisis [[3]]. The recent military operation threatens the implementation of the second phase of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, a devastating blow to the already fragile healthcare infrastructure.
As a global community, we must acknowledge the human cost of this conflict. The Gaza Strip is on the brink of disaster, and it’s our collective responsibility to demand action from world leaders. We must not turn a blind eye to the suffering of innocent civilians, nor can we afford to ignore the urgent calls for humanitarian aid.
the situation in Gaza is a crisis of unimaginable proportions. It’s our duty to raise our voices, to demand that world leaders take immediate action to alleviate the suffering of those trapped in this conflict. We must not forget the countless lives at stake, nor can we afford to ignore the desperate pleas for help from those caught in the midst of this humanitarian disaster.
We must act now, before it’s too late.