The children in Loop They are dying “of malnutrition and dehydration, while food and drinking water wait in trucks” without being able to access the Palestinian territory, denounced this Monday the head of the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini.
“The catastrophic levels of hunger throughout the Strip of Loop They are the result of human action“, he said in the first face-to-face meeting held by the organization’s Advisory Commission since the start of the war in Gazalast October 7.
Palestinian children suffering from malnutrition or chronic diseases such as cancer wait with their relatives at the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, on June 24, 2024. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
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As others have reported humanitarian entitiesthe official maintained that the breakdown of civil order “has given rise to rampant looting and smuggling that prevents the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid,” while “Gazatians cling to life.”
At the two-day meeting, which began today at the headquarters of United Nations in Geneva, Lazzarini He asked not to forget that another tragedy is being experienced in the West Bank, where half a thousand Palestinians have died in the same period.
“The daily attacks of the Israeli settlers“The military incursions and the destruction of homes and critical infrastructure are part of a well-established system of segregation and oppression.”he denounced.
He also referred to the intensification of clashes on the border between Israel and Lebanonwhere there is a risk of ““a total war”.
The UNRWAconsidered the central pillar of humanitarian aid in Gaza, West Bankas well as among the millions of Palestinian refugees living in Lebanon, Syria and Jordan, is located in a financial situation very delicate, even though its main donors have resumed their contributions.
Palestinian children suffering from malnutrition or chronic diseases such as cancer wait with their relatives at the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, on June 24, 2024. (Photo by Bashar TALEB / AFP)
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These were curtailed for some time by accusations from Israel that the body was somehow complicit with Hamas, which was disproved by impartial investigations conducted from outside the UNRWA.
Nevertheless, Lazzarini He maintained that the organization suffers from an acute lack of resources to fulfill its mission and that its ability to operate beyond next August “it will depend on the States to disburse the planned funds and to finance its central budget more.”
It is estimated that the UNRWA requires 1.2 billion dollars to continue covering the humanitarian needs lives of the civilian victims of this war until the end of the year. Of that amount, it currently only has 18%.
Its operations in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan They have received only 20% of what they need.
