For millions of people In Gaza and beyond, a political solution is a matter of life and death to end the cycle of conflict between Israel and Palestine, the High Commissioner of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said this Saturday in an emergency meeting convened by the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Arabia Arabia.
Philippe Lazzarini reiterated his call for urgent support for civilians in the Gaza Strip and called on leaders attending the summit to do so Act now to change the course of the crisis which began with the Hamas terrorist attacks on October 7th.
Violations of international humanitarian law
The head of UNRWA pointed out that the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza had highlighted the situation Failure of the international community and the UN Security Council to end Israel’s “serious violations of international humanitarian law.”
Palestinians are victims of double standardshe added with that in mind.
Lazzarini related the desperation he saw in Gaza last week: “Every girl and boy I met in a UNRWA shelter asked me for bread and water. At the school I attended, the children were learning and laughing. Now the school is an overcrowded haven that lacks the minimum standards for a decent life.”
He regretted it too the loss of 101 UNRWA staff during the Israeli bombings, adding that UN flags will be flown at half-mast around the world on Monday in honor.
Three immediate goals to alleviate suffering
People in Gaza feel “dehumanized and abandoned”and longs for his Arab and Muslim brothers to understand his situation, Lazzarini said.
“The Palestinians in Gaza have always depended on the solidarity of the Arab and Muslim world. Today as well They need this solidarity to be translated into action firmer and more energetic,” he told the participants of the extraordinary summit.
Lazzarini suggested three goals to alleviate the suffering in Gaza and asked for support to achieve these goals.
The first goal is a “humanitarian ceasefire” in strict compliance with international law “humanitarian” to prevent further civilian deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure, including UN facilities and hospitals.
“I am sure that many of you can influence the measures on site. No effort should be spared,” he noted.
The second is to ensure a significant and continuous flow of life-saving assistance This would enable “the enormous humanitarian needs” of the Gaza population to be met.
And the third, Lazzarini continued, is that UNRWA has sufficient funding and international support.
Defend UNRWA
“UNRWA is not only the largest UN agency in Gaza, but also the last lifeline for 2.2 million people“, he recalled, adding that with the appropriate resources he could provide much more help to the population.
Regarding the agency’s support, Lazzarini called upon to defend them from false and insidious accusations that their schools teach hate or that he has failed the civilian population of Gaza. “These accusations come from those who want us to fail and create a toxic and polarized environment,” he warned.
Urgent political solution
Beyond these immediate goals, he emphasized: “we have to think about the day after. A political solution has become a matter of life and death for millions of people.”
To support this statement, he recalled The West Bank is also at “boiling point”.“, as the border between Lebanon and Israel is bursting with tension.
“A real perspective of a Palestinian state is essential. “We must overcome the abyss before it is too late,” he emphasized.
Finally, Lazzarini called on the members of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to act immediately and assured that UNRWA, with their support, was ready to do its part.