UNRWA Chief: We cannot be partners in forced displacement in Gaza
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UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warns against complicity in Gaza's mass displacement and calls for a permanent ceasefire, aid access, and a two-state solution.
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Palestinians walk next to the closed humanitarian aid distribution center of UNRWA, the U.N. agency helping Palestinian refugees in Jabaliya, Gaza Strip on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi, File)
The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, stated that “we cannot remain silent or be partners in large-scale forced displacement in the Gaza Strip.”
A second Nakba?
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) July 9, 2025
Israeli officials state they plan yet another mass displacement of the Palestinian people in #Gaza towards Rafah.
This would de-facto create massive concentration camps at the border with Egypt for the Palestinians, displaced over and over across generations.…
Lazzarini’s remarks come amid increasing international concern over the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza, where over 1.9 million Palestinians have been displaced due to more than twenty months of continuous "Israeli" aggression.
He emphasized that there is no alternative to a permanent ceasefire, the release of captives, the entry of humanitarian aid, and a commitment to the two-state solution.
UNRWA Reports Desperate Conditions on the Ground
UNRWA has warned that families in Gaza are in desperate need of assistance, with the population facing extreme food shortages. The agency noted that civilians have come under fire and been run over while trying to access limited food supplies.
These incidents highlight the growing danger for Gaza’s population as conditions worsen by the day. The agency continues to document violations against civilians attempting to obtain basic humanitarian aid, with the Palestinian Ministry of Health reporting the martyrdom of 773 and the wounding of 5,101 while they were attempting to get aid.
A deepening humanitarian catastrophe
The ongoing war has resulted in the displacement of over 1.9 million Palestinians, as well as the widespread destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, including healthcare facilities, schools, and essential services.
Humanitarian organizations have consistently sounded the alarm over the Gaza humanitarian crisis, warning that continued military operations risk pushing the region into irreversible collapse.
In #Gaza, children queue for water trucks that often never arrive.
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 9, 2025
Instead of going to school or playing like children should, they are waiting in the sun.
This is childhood in Gaza.
Over 90% of families lack safe drinking water as fuel shortages cripple water systems.
Lift… pic.twitter.com/BCMdkdVDpC
UNRWA is near financial collapse
In 2025, UNRWA faces what it describes as a critical financial crisis. The agency began the year with zero financial reserves and $35 million in liabilities. The situation is further complicated by rising humanitarian needs due to "Israel's" ongoing war on Gaza.
UNRWA’s budget requirement for 2025 stands at $1.7 billion, but funding remains significantly below this threshold. In early 2024, 16 donor countries, including the US, Germany, and the UK, suspended contributions following Israeli allegations against UNRWA staff, resulting in the loss of $438 million, more than half of the agency’s expected funding.
Although several donors, such as Germany, the UK, and the EU, have since resumed partial support after internal UN reviews, the funding shortfall continues to threaten core operations, including food, health, and education services.
The war has also inflicted heavy losses on UNRWA staff and infrastructure, with over 270 staff members killed and more than 200 facilities damaged or destroyed since October 2023. With continued "Israeli" restrictions on the entry of aid and operational movement, the agency warns of possible service cuts or even collapse if emergency funding is not secured.
#CeasefireNow #Gaza pic.twitter.com/7hvlYOzxJJ
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) July 7, 2025
UNRWA under pressure
UNRWA remains under immense strain due to Israeli constraints on its operations and ongoing political efforts to undermine its legitimacy. Observers warn that this is part of a broader plan to dismantle the agency and erase the Palestinian refugee cause from the international agenda.
Despite these challenges, Lazzarini reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering commitment to Palestinian refugees and called on the international community to act urgently to prevent further deterioration in Gaza.
