Latest news with #Lazzarini
Roya News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Queen Rania shares UNRWA warning: "Man-made famine in Gaza"
Queen Rania of Jordan has amplified a dire warning from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), stating that the worst-case scenario of famine is now unfolding in Gaza. In a message reposted by the Queen on social media, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini declared that Gaza is facing "an entirely man-made famine," with leading global experts confirming that the threshold for famine has been crossed. 'The worst case scenario of famine is now happening in Gaza,' Lazzarini said. 'More than 100 people have died due to hunger in the past few weeks alone.' He added that starvation and severe malnutrition are now widespread throughout the war-torn enclave, including among children. Lazzarini emphasized that the only way to reverse the catastrophic situation is to immediately allow large-scale humanitarian aid into the Strip. 'The United Nations, including UNRWA, have the expertise and resources available,' he said. 'UNRWA alone has the equivalent of 6,000 trucks of food and medicine ready to cross into Gaza.' He urged all parties to allow humanitarian organizations to work 'without restrictions, in safety and dignity.' The Queen's repost highlights growing international concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as calls for unimpeded aid access intensify. View this post on Instagram A post shared by UNRWA (@unrwa) Palestine
Days of Palestine
3 days ago
- Politics
- Days of Palestine
UNRWA Chief Warns Airdropped Aid in Gaza Risks Civilian Lives
DaysofPal- The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has sharply criticized the use of airdropped humanitarian aid in Gaza, warning that such efforts are not only ineffective but could endanger the very civilians they aim to help. Lazzarini described airdrops as a 'distraction and smokescreen,' emphasizing that they are costly, inefficient, and may result in injuries or deaths among starving Palestinians gathering to collect supplies. He urged the immediate reopening of land-based crossings to allow for faster, safer, and more dignified delivery of aid. 'Thousands of trucks loaded with vital supplies remain stuck in neighboring countries, awaiting Israeli authorization to enter Gaza,' Lazzarini said. 'Until the borders are opened, airdrops alone cannot meet the urgent needs of over two million people facing severe famine.' He added. The UNRWA chief's warnings come amid mounting evidence of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Since the outbreak of Israeli genocide in October 2023, more than 120 Palestinians, including many children, have reportedly died from starvation and malnutrition, with numbers rising sharply this month. Moreover, international aid agencies continue to call for a lifting of the blockade to enable sustained and effective aid delivery on the ground. Lazzarini stressed that only through safe land access can the deepening hunger and suffering in Gaza be meaningfully addressed. As the crisis intensifies, the call to end the siege and allow humanitarian corridors remains critical to saving lives and restoring hope for millions in Gaza, who have been suffering famine and genocide at the hands of the Israeli occupation forces for 22 months so far. Shortlink for this post:
The Journal
3 days ago
- Health
- The Journal
Israeli army announces 'tactical pause' in parts of Gaza as starvation crisis worsens
THE ISRAELI MILITARY has announced a 'tactical pause' in operations in certain areas of Gaza to facilitate humanitarian aid. According to a statement shared on Telegram, the pause will take place daily until further notice in areas where the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) are not currently active: Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah, and Gaza City. Secure routes will be designated to allow safe passage for humanitarian convoys. The IDF stated it would continue to support humanitarian efforts while maintaining 'ongoing manoeuvring and offensive operations against terrorist organisations in the Gaza Strip to protect Israeli civilians'. It also said it was prepared to expand the scale of the pause if necessary. The announcement comes amid escalating concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. On Friday, Palestinian health officials reported five more deaths due to malnutrition, bringing the total to 127, two-thirds of whom were children. Among the latest deaths was a five-month-old girl who weighed less than at birth. A doctor at Nasser Hospital described it as a case of 'severe, severe starvation'. Advertisement Medical staff have also been affected, with some resorting to IV drips to continue treating patients. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned on Friday that 25% of young children and pregnant women in Gaza are now malnourished, calling the lack of food and water 'unconscionable'. The UN estimates that Israeli forces have killed over 1,000 people attempting to access food, the majority near militarised aid distribution points under the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, described the hunger crisis as 'manmade' and criticised aid air drops as expensive and inefficient. 'Lift the siege, open the gates, and guarantee safe movement and dignified access to those in need,' he urged. Lazzarini added that 6,000 trucks loaded with aid are waiting in Jordan and Egypt for permission to enter Gaza. In response to mounting pressure, the IDF said it had carried out a humanitarian airdrop containing 'seven pallets of aid including flour, sugar and canned food', coordinated with international organisations. Israel has faced increasing international criticism over the deepening crisis, after imposing a total blockade on Gaza on 2 March. Though a limited flow of aid resumed in late May, aid agencies warn it falls far short of what is needed to curb rising malnutrition. Despite this, the IDF maintains that there is 'no starvation' in Gaza. Additional reporting from AFP Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
UNRWA belittles Gaza aid airdrops proposal
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators march in the seaport district during a protest and rally in Boston. Photo: AFP The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Saturday that planned airdrops of aid into the Gaza Strip would not solve severe food shortages caused by months of restrictions on the entry of supplies. "Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient & can even kill starving civilians," UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X, calling the wave of hunger affecting Gaza "manmade". An Israeli official told AFP on Friday that aid drops in Gaza would resume soon, adding they would be conducted by the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory has gravely deteriorated in recent days, with international NGOs warning of soaring malnutrition among children. "Lift the siege, open the gates & guarantee safe movements + dignified access to people in need," Lazzarini said, referring to the various entry points under Israeli control that regulate access into Gaza. Israel imposed a total blockade on the entry of aid into Gaza on March 2 after talks to extend a ceasefire broke down. It began to allow a trickle of aid to enter again in late May. The UN and NGOs on the ground have decried the severe scarcity facing Gaza's 2.4 million people, with shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel. Humanitarian organisations accuse the Israeli army of imposing excessive restrictions on the goods allowed into Gaza and on the routes made available to transport the aid to distribution points. The United Arab Emirates, Jordan, France and other countries carried out airdrops in Gaza in 2024, at a time when the transport of aid on land routes also faced restrictions. Killings Gaza's civil defence agency said Israeli fire killed 25 people on Saturday in the Palestinian territory devastated by more than 21 months of war. Agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP the dead included nine people killed in three separate air strikes in Gaza City.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- General
- Business Recorder
Aid airdrops will not stop starvation: UNRWA
OCCUPIED AL-QUDS: The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said Saturday that planned airdrops of aid into the Gaza Strip would not solve severe food shortages caused by months of restrictions on the entry of supplies. 'Airdrops will not reverse the deepening starvation. They are expensive, inefficient & can even kill starving civilians,' UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X, calling the wave of hunger affecting Gaza 'manmade'. An Israeli official told AFP on Friday that aid drops in Gaza would resume soon, adding they would be conducted by the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory has gravely deteriorated in recent days, with international NGOs warning of soaring malnutrition among children. 'Lift the siege, open the gates & guarantee safe movements + dignified access to people in need,' Lazzarini said, referring to the various entry points under Israeli control that regulate access into Gaza. Israel imposed a total blockade on the entry of aid into Gaza on March 2 after talks to extend a ceasefire broke down. It began to allow a trickle of aid to enter again in late May. The UN and NGOs on the ground have decried the severe scarcity facing Gaza's 2.4 million people, with shortages of food, clean water, medicine and fuel. Israel's military said Friday that the country did 'not limit the number of trucks going into the Gaza Strip', and that humanitarian organisations and the UN were not collecting the aid once it was inside the territory. Humanitarian organisations accuse the Israeli army of imposing excessive restrictions on the goods allowed into Gaza and on the routes made available to transport the aid to distribution points. The United Arab Emirates, Jordan, France and other countries carried out airdrops in Gaza in 2024, at a time when the transport of aid on land routes also faced restrictions.
