Gaza (Union)
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) announced that the Gaza Strip represents the most dangerous place in the world for relief workers.
UNRWA added in a statement yesterday that 193 of its employees were “tragically” killed during the Israeli war on Gaza, which is the largest death toll in the history of the United Nations.
She stated that her employees continue to work to support families and provide assistance, amid the dire humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
UNRWA’s warnings escalated regarding the continued restrictions on aid, noting that Gazans are facing desperate levels of hunger, and that its teams are working tirelessly to reach families with aid, “but the situation is catastrophic.”
It is noteworthy that the humanitarian conditions and the suffering of the people of the Gaza Strip are worsening and increasing day after day, as a result of the Israeli army continuing to close the crossings, stopping the flow of humanitarian aid and medical supplies, and depriving thousands of sick and injured people of traveling abroad to receive treatment.
In this context, Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, told reporters in Oslo yesterday that hostilities are continuing in Rafah and the southern Gaza Strip despite the Israeli army’s announcement, the day before yesterday, of a tactical cessation of operations to allow the entry of humanitarian aid.
Lazzarini said that there was no stopping the fighting.
He added in a press conference, “There is information that this decision has been taken, but the political level says that nothing of the kind has been taken.”
He continued, “So at the present time, I can tell you that hostilities are continuing in Rafah and southern Gaza, and from an operational standpoint, nothing has changed yet.”
Yesterday, the Israeli army said that it was continuing “focused operations based on intelligence information” in the Rafah area.
The day before yesterday, the army announced a partial suspension of fighting in the area extending from the Kerem Shalom crossing to the Salah al-Din Road and then towards the north. He later explained that normal operations would continue in Rafah, as his campaign was focused in the south of the Strip.
Meanwhile, residents said that Israeli forces were penetrating further into the central and western areas of Rafah yesterday, amid heavy gunfire from land and air.
Lazzarini later said that UNRWA had received notification from the Israeli army that there would be a pause, which was quickly followed by a refutation from the government.
He added: “At the present time, I do not see anything that could meet the definition of a temporary moratorium.”
In another context, Norway announced yesterday that it would increase its aid to UNRWA by 100 million kroner (8.7 million euros).
UNRWA was affected by Israeli accusations that 12 of the agency’s 13,000 employees were involved in the October 7 attack. The Israeli accusations led some major donor countries to suspend their funding to the UN agency, including the United States, but some of them returned and resumed their aid.
Norwegian Minister of International Development, Anne Beth Christiansen Tevenrim, said in a statement, “UNRWA is the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza. The war, Israel’s accusations, continued attacks on the organization, and major donors’ withholding of funds have put (UNRWA) in a very difficult financial situation.”
The Norwegian Ministry of International Development said, “The amount of 100 million kroner is in addition to the 275 million kroner that Norway donated in February to the United Nations agency.”
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