Lack of fuel is jeopardizing “the entire
architecture of the humanitarian response” in Gaza, where raw
sewage is now flowing in the streets, the head of the UN agency
that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA, said on
Thursday.
In a wide-ranging briefing to journalists in
Geneva, UNRWA Commissioner-General
Philippe Lazzarini reiterated calls for
a ceasefire and addressed misinformation targeting
the agency, including claims that aid is being diverted.
He said he has also received reports of UN schools being used
“for military purposes”.
Commitment in crisis
During the briefing, Mr. Lazzarini said he had received reports
that Gaza was under a communications blackout due to the lack of
fuel.
He repeated his earlier warning that UNRWA is running
out of fuel, thus putting lifesaving support to 2.2 million
in Gaza at risk. Everything from aid delivery, to water supply,
to even accessing cash from ATM machines will
be impacted.
“We will not be able to uphold our commitment to provide for
the Palestinian people any longer,” he said. “I do
believe there is a deliberate attempt to strangle our operation
and paralyse the UNRWA operation.”
Exodus from the north
Mr. Lazzarini outlined the total devastation of nearly six
weeks of conflict which he said has sparked the largest
displacement of Palestinians since 1948.
Thousands of people have fled northern Gaza for the south,
arriving “dehydrated, hungry, exhausted and shell-shocked.”
UNRWA schools are now hosting more than 800,000 people amid
dire conditions and lack of food, water and adequate
sanitation. Up to 40 per cent of people in shelters
are already exhibiting skin illnesses.
UN shelters hit
He also addressed some of UNRWA’s latest concerns as well
as “misunderstandings” or “misinformation”.
Although people have been evacuating from the
north, one-third of all killings have occurred
in the south, he said. He stressed that “there is
nowhere safe in Gaza”, including UN compounds.
“Up to 60 of them have been hit since the beginning of the
conflict. We had more than 60 people now killed. We had hundreds
of people injured,” he said.
UNRWA deaths mount
He provided an update on UNRWA losses, with at least 103 staff
now confirmed killed although the number could be
higher. He described these colleagues as UN civil
servants dedicated to serving the community who “had
absolutely nothing to do with the conflict per se.”
Mr. Lazzarini also responded to articles that said
UNRWA schools teach hatred, which he flatly
refuted. He said the agency has “zero
tolerance” for hate speech, racism and incitement
to discrimination, hostility, or violence.
Condemnation and clarifications
“UNRWA rejects claims linking its personnel and schools to
the abhorrent 7 October attacks in Israel; attacks
that UNRWA has condemned in the strongest terms and which I
will always continue to condemn,” he said.
He questioned “the motivation of those who make such claims
through large advocacy campaigns, especially under these
current circumstances.”
He further emphasized that UNRWA does not let aid get
diverted as the agency directly implements
its programmes without intermediaries.
“Whenever we work with suppliers, they are systematically checked
against sanction lists,” he said, adding that
the names of all staff are sent to the Israeli
authorities each year.
“In reality, we are certainly one of the most scrutinized
organizations,” he said.
UN facilities ‘violated’
Mr. Lazzarini reported that UN facilities “have been
violated over the last six weeks quite regularly”.
In recent days he has received reports that several UNRWA schools
have been used for military purposes “including a
recent discovery of weapons in schools and including
the positioning of Israeli forces in at least two UN
schools.”
Journalists repeatedly asked for clarification.
“I have received or heard reports and allegations- again, I'm
not in a position to confirm it– that…in the north, where we
have a ground military operation, that reportedly there
might have been weapons found in schools. And reportedly
also we heard through social media that there have been also
Israeli military forces positioning in UN compound,” he said
at one point.
He stressed that this was a “blatant violation” which also
endangers UNRWA colleagues on the ground.
“If this information (is) correct, it needs to be
pushed back and condemned,” he said.
Sewage in the streets
Regarding dwindling fuel supply, Mr. Lazzarini recalled
that he first sounded the alarm three weeks
ago. UNRWA was able to “tap into the remaining
fuel in the Gaza Strip” in the interim, and always
through coordination with Israel.
While the agency received a “tiny shipment” of fuel – half a
truck – on Wednesday, he said “it was delivered with
conditionalities”. The fuel can only be used for
trucks collecting goods arriving at the Rafah crossing with
Egypt, meaning that water desalination plants, sewage
pumping systems or bakeries will go without.
“As from yesterday 70 per cent of the population just in
the south has no access anymore to clean water, and as of
today, we have raw sewage starting to flow in the streets,” he
said.
