Pinned
In my final op-ed as I end my tenure as Commissioner-General, I warn about relentless efforts to destroy UNRWA, amid growing disregard for international law.
Read more in The Guardian ⬇️
Philippe Lazzarini
5,563 posts
Philippe Lazzarini
@UNLazzarini
Humanitarian
Former United Nations Under-Secretary-General
Joined July 2013
- UNRWA lifesaving assistance is about to end following countries decisions to cut their funding to the Agency. Our humanitarian operation, on which 2 million people depend as a lifeline in Gaza, is collapsing. I am shocked such decisions are taken based on alleged behavior of a
- In my 35 years of work in complex emergencies, I never have expected to write such a letter, predicting the killing of my staff & the collapse of the mandate I am expected to fulfill #Gaza
- This evening, Israeli residents set fire twice to the perimeter of the UNRWA Headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem. This took place while UNRWA and other UN Agencies’ staff were on the compound. While there were no casualties among our staff, the fire caused extensive damage
00:00 - Staggering. The number of children reported killed in just over 4 months in #Gaza is higher than the number of children killed in 4 years of wars around the world combined. This war is a war on children. It is a war on their childhood and their future. #ceasefireNow for the
- The vote by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) against @UNRWA this evening is unprecedented and sets a dangerous precedent. It opposes the UN Charter and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law. This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit
- On the day new data is out on famine in #GAZA, the Israeli Authorities deny my entry to Gaza. -Famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip, expected to arrive between now and May. - Two million people= the entire population of Gaza is facing crisis levels of food insecurity
- 📍# Gaza: as of today, @UNRWA, the main lifeline for #Palestine Refugees, is denied from providing lifesaving assistance to northern Gaza. Despite the tragedy unfolding under our watch, the Israeli Authorities informed the UN that they will no longer approve any @UNRWA food
- #Gaza Heavy shooting from the Israeli Forces at a UN convoy heading to Gaza city. While there are no casualties, our teams had to duck and take cover. This took place yesterday. The teams were traveling in clearly marked UN armoured cars & wearing UN vests. One vehicle
- Today’s attack on one of the very few remaining @UNRWA distribution centres in the #GazaStrip comes as food supplies are running out, hunger is widespread and, in some areas, turning into famine. Every day, we share the coordinates of all our facilities across the Gaza Strip
- Everything has been said already. No words are left that can do any justice to the people of #Gaza They are people, like you and I. They used to have dreams, they were part of a vibrant and diverse community…. Now, it’s only broken lives and broken futures.
- - UNRWA did not know what is under its headquarters in Gaza. - UNRWA is made aware of reports through the media regarding a tunnel under the UNRWA Headquarters in Gaza. - UNRWA staff left its headquarters in Gaza City on 12 October following the Israeli evacuation orders and asReaders added context they thought people might want to knowReaders added contextThe IDF found evidence that Hamas used the UNRWA headquarters as offices, and that power cables ran directly from inside of the UNRWA offices to the underground Hamas tunnels. It is unlikely UNRWA was unaware of the tunnel construction. timesofisrael.com/directly-benea…
