Gaza ceasefire “formal” as suffering persists, UNRWA chief warns

The Commissioner-General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, stated that the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza continues despite what he described as a “formal” ceasefire, warning that civilians are still being killed while facing severe shortages of water and food and a growing spread of disease, Anadolu reports.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Lazzarini said that UNRWA remains the only agency capable of delivering large-scale services in the Gaza Strip, highlighting the absence of any viable alternative to carry out its responsibilities. He also pointed to what he described as a “silent war” in the West Bank, citing settler attacks and demolitions, including incidents targeting UNRWA facilities in East Jerusalem.

He warned that the agency is facing a severe funding crisis, despite the renewal of its mandate for three years, stressing that UNRWA may be unable to continue its operations without urgent financial support. He added that targeting the agency could set a dangerous precedent affecting other UN institutions.

Israeli occupation forces have been violating the ceasefire agreement on a daily basis since October 10. According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, 704 Palestinians have been killed and 1,914 injured since the ceasefire was declared, while the bodies of 756 Palestinians have been recovered during the same period.

Since October 7, 2023, Israel, with American and European support, has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, including killing, starvation, destruction, displacement, and arrests, ignoring international appeals and orders from the International Court of Justice to cease its actions.

The genocide has left more than 244,000 Palestinians dead or wounded, most of them children and women, with over 11,000 missing, alongside hundreds of thousands of displaced people. It has also led to famine conditions that have claimed numerous lives, particularly among children, and caused widespread destruction, effectively erasing large parts of the Gaza Strip.