ANKARA

The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has condemned Israel’s repeated assaults on humanitarian workers and facilities in Gaza, warning that such actions violate international law and worsen the enclave’s deepening famine.

“In 30 years of humanitarian work, I have never encountered such blatant disregard for the protected status of humanitarian workers, facilities, and operations under international law,” Philippe Lazzarini said in a CNN video report, "How Israeli military actions led to Gaza’s famine," shared by UNRWA on US social media company X Saturday.

He stressed that the famine gripping Gaza is not a natural disaster but the result of deliberate Israeli policies, including “restrictions on aid, destruction of vital infrastructure, and repeated attacks on humanitarian operations.”

Since October 2023, more than 64,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israeli bombardments, while over 2 million have been displaced, many of them multiple times. UN agencies say famine has already claimed the lives of at least 413 people, including 143 children.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

The UN agency has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying civilians are trapped with nowhere safe to go, and families continue to face extreme conditions and rising food insecurity.