Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), emphasized on Sunday that the Rafah border crossing with Gaza has never been closed by the Egyptian side since the start of the war.
Instead, Lazzarini pointed out that it is the Israeli side that hinders the entry of aid, as reported by Al-Qahera News TV channel.
While en route to the Gaza Strip to assess the humanitarian situation firsthand, Lazzarini condemned the Israeli war in the strip as a “crime against humanity.” He warned of the potential further deterioration of conditions in Gaza if the international community does not take prompt action.
Lazzarini expressed concern about the indiscriminate targeting by the Israeli war machine, stating that civilians, including women, children, the elderly, and UNRWA staff, are all victims.
He urged the international community and those close to the conflict to intervene in order to bring an end to the war or, at the very least, establish safe humanitarian corridors for aid delivery to the Palestinian people in the besieged strip.
