Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), stated that the “horrors continue unabated under the world’s watch” as Israel’s military offensive in Gaza stretches into its 15th month.
Since the conflict began on October 7, 258 UNRWA staff have been killed, with 650 attacks on UNRWA facilities recorded. Additionally, at least 20 UNRWA employees remain in Israeli detention.
“This cannot become the new standard, and impunity cannot become the new norm,” Lazzarini emphasized, once again calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Meanwhile, a United Nations report has found that Israeli strikes on and near hospitals in the Gaza Strip had left healthcare in the Palestinian territory on the verge of collapse, AFP reports.
The report by the UN human rights office said such strikes raised grave concerns about Israel’s compliance with international law.
“Israel’s pattern of deadly attacks on and near hospitals in Gaza, and associated combat, pushed the healthcare system to the brink of total collapse, with catastrophic effect on Palestinians’ access to health and medical care,” the UN human rights office said in a statement.
