End 'Israel's' war, Gaza faces 'hell on earth': UNRWA chief

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
27 Aug 2025 19:28
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UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini called for an immediate end to "Israel's" war on Gaza, warning of unprecedented killings, starvation, and destruction that he described as "hell on earth."

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The Commissioner-General of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, Philippe Lazzarini, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the UNRWA headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 (AP)

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini has issued a stark appeal for an end to "Israel's" military campaign in Gaza, warning of unparalleled destruction and human suffering nearly two years into the war.

Posting on X, Lazzarini declared that "nowhere and no one in Gaza is safe" as the Israeli military continues to escalate operations. "Nearly 700 days on, people continue to be killed & injured as the Israeli military intensifies & expands its operations," he wrote.

The humanitarian crisis, he said, has reached catastrophic levels, with hospitals, schools, shelters, and homes targeted relentlessly. "Health staff, journalists & humanitarian workers have been killed at a scale never seen in any other conflict in recent history," Lazzarini cautioned.

Starvation has emerged as another deadly threat. "And as if all of this is not enough, hunger is threatening everyone in Gaza with a slow & silent death or in a death while desperately seeking food," he added.

'Israel' acts with impunity

Lazzarini also condemned the lack of accountability, noting that atrocities have been dismissed as "mishaps" and famine continues to be denied. "Nothing justifies these massive attacks on Palestinian life & identity. Outrage is not enough. It's time for action, courage & political will to end this hell on earth," he concluded.

No place is safe in #Gaza

No one is safe.

Nearly 700 days on, people continue to be killed & injured as the Israeli military intensifies & expands its operations.

Hospitals, schools, shelters & people's homes have been bombed day in, day out.

Health staff, journalists &… pic.twitter.com/WBpE1VizXC
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) August 27, 2025

Since the start of the war, Lazzarini has sounded the alarm several times. In May 2025, he condemned "Israel's" so-called aid distribution model as "chaotic, undignified and unsafe," arguing it distracted from atrocities in Gaza.

Earlier, in Geneva, he warned that child malnutrition had risen six-fold since March, cautioning that without intervention "many children will be condemned." His messaging has consistently highlighted how "Israel's" siege has pushed civilians to the brink of famine.

Israeli regime targets UNRWA

The agency he leads has itself come under direct fire. Israeli strikes have repeatedly hit UNRWA facilities, including schools and health centers that were sheltering displaced civilians. In September 2024, the bombing of the al-Jawni School in Nuseirat killed more than 18 people, including six UNRWA staff, marking the deadliest strike on the agency during the war.

Lazzarini has also become a target of Israeli authorities. He has been accused by Israeli officials of harboring Hamas collaborators within UNRWA, accusations he responded to by dismissing implicated staff and initiating investigations. Meanwhile, "Israel" has restricted his movement, reducing his residence permit to a monthly visa and forcing him to undergo intrusive searches.

In late 2024, "Israel's" Knesset passed legislation banning UNRWA from operating within its jurisdiction, a move Lazzarini denounced as an attempt to erase Palestinian refugee rights and dismantle the agency.