DaysofPal- Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), has described leading the organization during the ongoing conflict in Gaza as “stressful,” noting that Israel has waged a “war of disinformation” against the agency.
In January, Israel severed ties with UNRWA, accusing it of being “infested with Hamas” and barring it from operating in Gaza. This move has severely hampered the agency’s ability to coordinate critical humanitarian aid deliveries.
Lazzarini emphasized that Israel’s decision has placed the future of UNRWA in jeopardy, threatening “the life and survival of civilians” in Gaza, where the agency is the largest provider of aid.
Despite the challenges, Lazzarini remains committed to his role, driven by his belief that “I am still on the right side of history.” He added, “I have been given a voice, and I need to use this voice. That is the minimum we owe to the Palestinian refugees, who are pretty voiceless.”
Lazzarini also expressed concern over the worsening situation in the West Bank, where Israel has launched a major offensive.
“It is deeply, deeply troubling,” he said, stressing that the threat of Israeli annexation of the West Bank looms over both Palestinians and the international community like “a Damocles sword.”
While Israel has suggested that other UN agencies or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) could replace UNRWA’s services, Lazzarini disagrees. He argued that while humanitarian aid could be distributed by other organizations, none can replicate the “government-like services” that UNRWA provides, such as education and healthcare.
“Without UNRWA, we would sacrifice a generation of kids, who would be deprived of proper education,” he warned.
The ongoing blockade on Gaza has compounded the humanitarian crisis, with charities that have been feeding thousands now forced to close. Others that remain operational are winding down services as essential supplies like cooking gas and water become increasingly scarce. NGOs in Gaza already face numerous obstacles and, in many cases, face outright danger. According to a recent UN estimate, at least 387 aid workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began.
“The ability to deliver aid and adhere to humanitarian principles in Gaza, the access restrictions we’re facing in the West Bank… all of these things, when you put them together, you just feel like you’re watching the apocalypse,” said one senior NGO staffer, reflecting the increasingly dire situation on the ground.
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