By Cecilia Ologunagba
The head of UN Palestine refugee agency (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has reaffirmed the body’s commitment to assisting a population whose rights “continue to be violated.”
In a social media post on Friday, Commissioner-General Lazzarini stated that “people in Gaza have undergone systematic dehumanisation” since the war there began.
He stressed that “Palestinians do matter, including those in Gaza. Their rights, lives, and futures matter,” emphasising that “human rights cannot be applied selectively.”
His remarks follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal this week that America should seize control of Gaza and permanently displace Palestinians—an act the UN Secretary-General called “ethnic cleansing.”
Lazzarini quoted UN chief António Guterres, who reiterated that peace depends on ending occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state, with Gaza as an integral part.
The UNRWA chief said his agency’s teams remain committed to providing critical aid to Palestine refugees until empowered Palestinian institutions become a sustainable and viable alternative.
UNRWA continues to face major obstacles in carrying out its work.
In January, two Israeli laws took effect, banning UNRWA operations within its borders and prohibiting Israeli authorities from engaging with the agency.
UNRWA was ordered to leave its premises in East Jerusalem, and visas for international staff were not renewed.
Despite restrictions, teams are still delivering aid in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and in Gaza, where a ceasefire remains in place after 15 months of war.
Meanwhile, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher continued his week-long visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
On Friday, he visited an UNRWA-run shelter in Deir Al-Balah, Gaza, before travelling to Jerusalem through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Fletcher met displaced families who shared their struggles over the past 16 months. Staff managing the shelter also described challenges in sustaining critical humanitarian support.
The UNRWA site is one of many schools in Gaza repurposed as shelters. Fletcher met children missing their education and stressed the urgency of reopening schools.
In Jerusalem, Fletcher met with UN aid agency heads and other humanitarian officials to discuss sustaining aid to Gaza and supporting West Bank operations.
(NAN)
