UNRWA chief cautions against undermining agency’s role in Gaza

GENEVA, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) — Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), issued a stark warning on Monday regarding Israeli attempts to undermine the agency’s operations.
Speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, Lazzarini underscored UNRWA’s irreplaceable role in providing essential services, including education and healthcare, to Palestinian refugees in Gaza. He cautioned that dismantling the agency without a viable alternative would create a dangerous vacuum.
“If we do this and we do not have a viable alternative in place, we will create a vacuum. We will also deprive hundreds of thousands of children to the right of education, but by doing this we will also sow the seeds for more extremism, more hate in the future,” he said.
The UNRWA chief also emphasized the importance of addressing Palestinian aspirations as a key to lasting peace. He warned that while annexation remains a concern, it cannot lead to a sustainable peace without resolving the broader Palestinian issue.
The press conference also came amid reports that over 100 aid trucks, primarily carrying supplies for UNRWA and the World Food Programme, were looted in Gaza last weekend, further exacerbating the region’s deepening humanitarian crisis. ■