11/23/2023 GAZA, November 24, 2023 – Children take part in a psychological stimulation and support activity at a school affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the town of Khan in the southern Gaza Strip Younis, November 23, 2023. POLITICS Europe Press/Contact/Rizek Abdeljawad
The Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, warned this Sunday that Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip are particularly suffering from the lack of basic services such as drinking water or food. “When you arrive at a school, the children look you in the eyes and beg for a drink of water or a slice of bread,” a dramatic situation that occurs “despite all the warnings we gave about this tragedy,” emphasized Lazzarini Statements to Qatari television Al Jazeera. This Sunday also marks the 100th day since the start of the Israeli military offensive. “These 100 days seem like an eternity. But despite all the adversities, I saw that our employees were very motivated, heroic and committed to providing assistance,” he emphasized. Lazzarini has used the opportunity to call for more humanitarian aid trucks to be allowed through the border crossings connecting the Palestinian enclave with Egypt. The Israeli military offensive is in retaliation for the October 7 attack in which thousands of Palestinian militiamen stormed into Israeli territory from Gaza, killing around 1,200 people. Since then, nearly 24,000 Palestinians have died in the bombings and invasion of Gaza.