Latest news with #forced displacement
Al Mayadeen
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Mayadeen
UNRWA Chief: We cannot be partners in forced displacement in Gaza
The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, stated that 'we cannot remain silent or be partners in large-scale forced displacement in the Gaza Strip.' A second Nakba? Israeli officials state they plan yet another mass displacement of the Palestinian people in #Gaza towards would de-facto create massive concentration camps at the border with Egypt for the Palestinians, displaced over and over across generations.…Lazzarini's remarks come amid increasing international concern over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, where over 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced due to more than twenty months of continuous "Israeli" aggression. He emphasized that there is no alternative to a permanent ceasefire, the release of captives, the entry of humanitarian aid, and a commitment to the two-state solution. UNRWA has warned that families in Gaza are in desperate need of assistance, with the population facing extreme food shortages. The agency noted that civilians have come under fire and been run over while trying to access limited food supplies. These incidents highlight the growing danger for Gaza's population as conditions worsen by the day. The agency continues to document violations against civilians attempting to obtain basic humanitarian aid, with the Palestinian Ministry of Health reporting the martyrdom of 773 and the wounding of 5,101 while they were attempting to get aid. The ongoing war has resulted in the displacement of over 1.9 million Palestinians, as well as the widespread destruction of Gaza's infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, schools, and essential services. Humanitarian organizations have consistently sounded the alarm over the Gaza humanitarian crisis, warning that continued military operations risk pushing the region into irreversible collapse. In #Gaza, children queue for water trucks that often never of going to school or playing like children should, they are waiting in the is childhood in 90% of families lack safe drinking water as fuel shortages cripple water 2025, UNRWA faces what it describes as a critical financial crisis. The agency began the year with zero financial reserves and $35 million in liabilities. The situation is further complicated by rising humanitarian needs due to "Israel's" ongoing war on Gaza. UNRWA's budget requirement for 2025 stands at $1.7 billion, but funding remains significantly below this threshold. In early 2024, 16 donor countries, including the US, Germany, and the UK, suspended contributions following Israeli allegations against UNRWA staff, resulting in the loss of $438 million, more than half of the agency's expected funding. Although several donors, such as Germany, the UK, and the EU, have since resumed partial support after internal UN reviews, the funding shortfall continues to threaten core operations, including food, health, and education services. The war has also inflicted heavy losses on UNRWA staff and infrastructure, with over 270 staff members killed and more than 200 facilities damaged or destroyed since October 2023. With continued "Israeli" restrictions on the entry of aid and operational movement, the agency warns of possible service cuts or even collapse if emergency funding is not secured. #CeasefireNow #Gaza remains under immense strain due to Israeli constraints on its operations and ongoing political efforts to undermine its legitimacy. Observers warn that this is part of a broader plan to dismantle the agency and erase the Palestinian refugee cause from the international agenda. Despite these challenges, Lazzarini reaffirmed the agency's unwavering commitment to Palestinian refugees and called on the international community to act urgently to prevent further deterioration in Gaza.
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Satellite images show Israel's Gaza ‘concentration camp' preparations
Satellite images show Israel's Gaza 'concentration camp' preparations NewsFeed Satellite images appear to show Israel has begun preparing the rubble in Rafah for its plan to forcibly displace two million Palestinians into what some UN officials call a 'concentration camp'. Video Duration 00 minutes 49 seconds 00:49 Video Duration 00 minutes 35 seconds 00:35 Video Duration 01 minutes 09 seconds 01:09 Video Duration 00 minutes 37 seconds 00:37 Video Duration 01 minutes 47 seconds 01:47 Video Duration 02 minutes 51 seconds 02:51 Video Duration 05 minutes 42 seconds 05:42
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Russia Today
UN agency slams Israel over ‘inhumane' plan
Israel's plan to concentrate Gaza's entire population into a sealed, military-controlled 'humanitarian city' is 'inhumane,' the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has said, warning it would constitute forced displacement on a massive scale. The scheme was unveiled by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Monday. It envisions establishing a walled-off camp in southern Gaza on the ruins of Rafah. Katz has said the site would initially hold 600,000 Palestinians displaced by the war and would eventually house the entire population of the enclave – more than 2 million people. According to Katz, residents would be screened to prevent Hamas operatives from entering and would not be permitted to leave. At some point, the inhabitants would be allowed to 'voluntarily emigrate' to other countries. He has described the plan as a way to give the Israeli military more 'freedom' to fight Hamas in other parts of Gaza. Katz has claimed that while the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would initially control the zone, it could eventually be operated by international organizations, though he has not specified which bodies would participate. A source cited by Haaretz has claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has supported the plan. Commenting on the idea of providing comforts to the confined Gazans, Netanyahu allegedly said, 'Give them Ben & Jerry's, for all I care.' Speaking to reporters on Thursday, UNRWA communications director Tamara Alrifai said: 'There is nothing humanitarian about confining hundreds of thousands of people behind fences and checkpoints under military surveillance.' 'Labeling it a 'humanitarian city' is an insult to the very notion of humanity,' she added. Alrifai warned that the project would transform Gaza, already described as an 'open-air prison' by humanitarian groups, into the most crowded and tightly controlled camp on Earth. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has called the idea a 'massive overcrowded camp' and said the only viable solution is a lasting ceasefire, the release of hostages, unimpeded humanitarian access, and a renewed commitment to a two-state solution. The plan has also sparked outcry from rights experts and observers, some of whom have compared the sealed zone to a concentration camp and have accused Israel of engineering a mass expulsion of Palestinians. Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza in October 2023 following a deadly Hamas incursion. Since then, the IDF has reportedly killed nearly 57,800 Palestinians, most of them women and children, leading to accusations of genocide against the Israeli leadership.
Wall Street Journal
5 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Israel's Military Lawyers Raise Concerns About New Plan to Move Hundreds of Thousands of Gazans
TEL AVIV—Israel's defense minister outlined a plan this week that would go beyond anything Israel has previously done in Gaza, by screening hundreds of thousands of Palestinians before moving them into a secure area. Now, the Israeli military's legal branch and some of the country's leading lawyers are raising concerns that the plan could expose Israel to accusations of forced displacement and internment of civilians, both illegal under international law.
