UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini condemns Israel's denial of Gaza famine as 'shameful', warning that Gaza is facing starvation amid Israel's ongoing military campaign.
According to Lazzarini, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has "hit rock bottom," and it is "shameful" that the international community has not heeded warnings about the starvation.
Speaking to the press at a seminar held in Santander, northern Spain, Philippe Lazzarini said: “There is a famine right now in Gaza. This is a man-made famine driven by political and military will.”
“Gaza today is like hell. People are not only dying under bombardments, they are dying of hunger, and even when they go out to look for food, they are killed. Those who could reverse the situation in Gaza are doing nothing — no measures, no condemnation.
Today we are witnessing complete impunity for Israel. There is no economic, political, or diplomatic cost for those committing these violations,”
he said.
Lazzarini called for a quick ceasefire and unhindered humanitarian aid access in Gaza, pointing out that aid worth 6,000 UNRWA trucks—enough to meet the Palestinian population's food needs for two months—is being kept outside the Gaza Strip.
“The Israeli government’s policy of denying the famine in Gaza is shameful,”
he said.
He also highlighted that over 360 UNRWA employees have been killed in Gaza, making it a very high number of humanitarian workers slain in the region.
Lazzarini vehemently denounced the Israeli army's airstrike that killed civilian journalists at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza.
As Israel forbids foreign journalists from entering the enclave to confirm the situation on the ground, he also urged support for Palestinian journalists, emphasizing that they continue to be the only witnesses to what is occurring in Gaza.
What evidence did the UNRWA head cite to call Israel’s denial “shameful”?
He stressed the verified famine in Gaza City, calling it “starvation by design,” caused by the years-long blockade by Israel that has blocked food, medical necessities, and humanitarian action, including from UNRWA, for months and months.
Lazzarini pointed to alarming humanitarian indicators: a 50% drop in aid entry, hundreds of Palestinians killed and injured waiting for aid, and critical lifesaving supplies in extremely short supply.
He also noted first-hand information from people who had been released from Israeli detention, including UNRWA workers, who spoke of systematic abuse and humiliation indicative of the extreme conditions Palestinians face.