ANKARA
The Commissioner General of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Thursday underlined the insufficiency of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, stressing the conditions of Gazans.
"We are three months into the ceasefire, but the assistance is still not yet at scale for the population. Yes, food came in. But besides food, very little other type of assistance has come in. People are still living in the shaky rubber shelters. Only tents which are not waterproof have come in, which obviously do not protect the population. And basically, they continue to lack almost everything," Lazzarini told Anadolu in an interview.
“Gaza has been separated into two. We have now the ‘Yellow line.’ People in Gaza not always know. Where is this head, or life, all about that, which is also an additional exposure to death people are experiencing," he added.
He underlined that cold weather conditions constitute an additional source of suffering for people who have already endured two years of a brutal war, destruction, massacres and forced displacement.
Noting that there is a race against time, despite all constraints, he said UNRWA continues to deliver essential health consultations on a daily basis through its community-based staff, while working with partners to carry out vaccination campaigns, ensure access to clean water, manage waste and maintain waste collection activities to prevent the spread of disease.
"Despite all the challenges due to the environment, we have now brought back one-person learning environment to more than 60,000 children, and we are also providing some learning at a distance to more than 290,000 kids. Now this is how, from what is needed -- I think it is important that we make it a priority to avoid that the children remain deeply traumatized in the rubble, and basically, to avoid that, we are losing an entire generation, which can only, in the future, reinforce extremism," he said.
Lazzarini said US contributions have remained suspended since February 2024 following allegations about UNRWA staff under the previous American administration.
He said that although every other country that had halted funding at the time resumed support after investigations were concluded and corrective actions were taken, the US did not.
He added that the Trump administration has since confirmed its decision to end support for the agency.
He underlined that the loss of its largest donor has left UNRWA with a significant funding shortfall at a time when the organization is already under severe strain.
Warning that the agency is operating on the edge of financial collapse, Lazzarini said UNRWA was compelled to introduce harsh cost-cutting measures this year. While efforts were made to diversify the donor base, he noted that the steps have fallen short of filling the gap left by US funding.
He added that the resulting financial pressure has severely constrained the agency’s operations and further complicated its ability to fully deliver on the mandate assigned by the UN General Assembly.
Israel's violations of international law
Addressing Israel’s violations of international law, Lazzarini noted that different regions must be assessed separately.
He explained that certain activities in occupied East Jerusalem have come to a complete halt due to Israeli legislation and Tel Aviv’s claim that East Jerusalem is part of its sovereign territory.
Lazzarini referred to legislation that restricts or prevents contact between Israeli authorities and UNRWA officials, noting that it has affected the presence of international staff and shipments to Gaza.
He stated that a third law adopted by Israel -- the cutting of electricity and water supplies to UNRWA facilities in occupied East Jerusalem -- also includes provisions related to the confiscation of facilities and land.
Emphasizing that the measures are in direct contradiction with rulings of the International Court of Justice, Lazzarini said they constitute violations of international law and reflect Israel’s resort to unilateral actions.
He noted that in the event of a dispute, the matter should be referred to the International Court of Justice, noting that UNRWA has consistently upheld that position, including with its operations in Gaza.
Lazzarini stated that UNRWA still has approximately 12,000 staff members in Gaza, who continue to provide daily public health education, access to clean water, waste management services and psychosocial support.
He added that the agency continues to operate a number of shelters, but efforts fall short of the scale required.
Drawing attention to the obstacles preventing the proper distribution of food and non-food items in Gaza, Lazzarini stressed, “Despite this, we remain extremely active on the ground.”