Wednesday 12 / March / 2025
Geneva: Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini affirmed the agency's commitment to implementing its mandate despite challenges in the occupied Palestinian territories, in light of increasing political pressures and the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
In his remarks before the official missions of countries to the UN in Geneva, Lazzarini stressed the importance of continued international support for UNRWA to ensure the provision of basic services to Palestinian refugees in all its areas of operation.
He pointed out that the occupation has banned the entry of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip for 10 days, which has returned the situation to what it was on 8 October 2023, affirming that this decision threatens the lives of civilians who have suffered for more than 16 months of ongoing war. "The ceasefire agreement has shown that whenever there is a political will, humanitarian assistance can be unhindered and un-interrupted. Between the beginning of the ceasefire and 2 March 2025, humanitarian assistance has increased 10 folds," he added.
Lazzarini highlighted the deteriorating situation in the West Bank as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression, particularly in the northern West Bank, pointing to the occupation's policies of emptying several camps and displacing approximately 40,000 Palestinian refugees, the largest displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967.
He also expressed concern about the demolition of buildings, saying "the large-scale demolition of buildings, including residential areas is alarming. People have nowhere to return to." He added that "UNRWA continues to track displaced people and provide humanitarian aid, including food, healthcare and basic items."
