Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has warned that famine is likely to occur in northern Gaza, where Israeli occupation forces have been carrying out a relentless military offensive for over a month.
Lazzarini’s comments came in a statement late last night, in which he described the situation as dire, adding, “Unfortunately, this is not surprising. Famine is likely to occur in northern Gaza.”
He condemned Israel’s tactics, stating that the Israeli military has “used hunger as a weapon,” denying the people of Gaza access to essential supplies, including food necessary for survival.
The UNRWA chief noted that humanitarian aid entering Gaza is insufficient, with an average of just over 30 trucks a day, which amounts to only 6% of the daily food needs of the Palestinian population.
“This is far from enough to meet the basic needs of the people in Gaza,” Lazzarini said.
He called for urgent action, including the political will to increase the flow of humanitarian and commercial supplies into Gaza and to ensure that aid convoys can enter northern Gaza regularly and without interruption.
Lazzarini emphasized that there is still time to address the crisis, saying, “The time has not yet passed.”