UNRWA: People in Gaza are facing the choice between starving or killing while searching for food

The call of Commissioner -General Philip Lazarini came in his speech before the 16th session of the Council of the League of Arab States held at the ministerial level in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.

Lazarini talked about the deterioration of the situation in the Gaza Strip and the occurrence of a “human famine” in Gaza Governorate, which is expected to spread quickly.

He said: “This is the direct and expected result of the siege and the deliberate restrictions on humanitarian organizations committed to principles – including UNRWA – for an automatic interest that is camping and arming food aid. People in Gaza now have to choose between death in starvation or killing during desperate attempts to find food.”

The Commissioner -General added The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) that journalists in Gaza are targeting and killed to silence the last votes that “cover international crimes.”

Lazarini talked about the talk about the occupied West Bank, and said that the Israeli army and armed settlers are committing horrific violence against the Palestinians – and “the annexation is now a declaring political goal.”

The UN official added that the indifference of the world and his failure to move is shocking and promoted to collusion, as well as the stability of the entire region.

Campaign against UNRWA

The suffering and intensity of the Palestinians, as Lazarini, said the attacks on UNRWA employees and buildings, as well as attacks on political and legislative levels against the agency.

He pointed to the killing of more than 360 UNRWA employees in Gaza, and most of the agency’s buildings were damaged or completely damaged.

He said that Israeli legislation prevents international employees to work in the occupied Palestinian land, adding that “The fierce global misinformation campaign has distorted the agency’s reputation and strangled the necessary funding” For her vital work.

Despite all these challenges, the Palestinian agency employees showed courage and Tafania “their counterpart, which allowed UNRWA to continue to provide its vital services,” including in the areas of health care and education in Gaza and the West Bank.

Philip Lazarini warned that UNRWA’s financial situation is catastrophic. He said that the austerity measures will allow payment of salaries for the month of September, but the financial expectations for the rest of 2025 are not largely confirmed.

He concluded his speech with three appeals:

• FirstlyHe called on the Arab countries to show their solidarity with UNRWA, not only through political support, but also through strong financial support.

The financial contributions received from the region this year reached only 3% of the total contributions received by the agency, a decrease of more than 90% compared to last year.

• secondlyHe urged to preserve the role of UNRWA in protecting the rights of Palestine refugees.
• ThirdHe appealed to the Arab countries to use all legal, political, diplomatic, and economic tools available to them to end the unacceptable suffering in Gaza.

He said that the ceasefire is an imperative, and stressed the need to allow UNRWA to publish its unique experiences and networks to distribute aid to address famine and provide the necessary humanitarian assistance.

He stressed that the time has come to move and work to save lives and secure the future of Palestine and the region.

More details about the situation in Gaza later ….