UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote a letter to UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis on Friday, foreseeing the eventual loss of lives among his team due to the Israeli aggression on Gaza, which he described as the "darkest hour in the agency's 75-year history."

"I must inform you that UNRWA's ability to implement its General Assembly mandate in Gaza is today severely limited, with immediate and dire consequences for the UN humanitarian response and the lives of civilians in Gaza," the letter read.

"The long-term implications for Palestine Refugees and prospects for a fair and lasting political solution are grave," it added.

Almost 2 million forcibly displaced in Gaza since Oct. 7: UNRWA

Lazzarini noted that following Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, several thousand civilians in Gaza preemptively sought refuge in UNRWA premises, anticipating unprecedented aggression and seeking safety under the UN flag. As of Friday, December 8, this number had increased to 1.2 million, approximately half of the Gaza Strip's population, he added.

"UNRWA is, as of today, still operational in the Gaza Strip, though just barely," he said. 

Lazzarini further added that the UNRWA team continues to run health centers, oversee shelters, and offer support to those affected, some of whom arrive with their killed children due to brutal Israeli airstrikes.

"We are still distributing food, even though the courtyards and corridors of our premises are too crowded to walk through. Our staff take their children to work so they know they are safe or can die together," he went on to say.

Lazzarini stated that over 130 confirmed UNRWA staff, predominantly with their families, have been killed by Israeli bombings, adding this number may increase.

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A minimum of 70% of UNRWA staff members are displaced, facing shortages of food, water, and suitable shelter, he said.

"We are hanging on by our fingertips. If UNRWA collapses, humanitarian assistance in Gaza will also collapse," he tersely stated.

UNRWA Commissioner-General warned that the fundamental basis of UNRWA's mission, which involves delivering services to Palestinian refugees until a political resolution is reached, is under severe threat. 

"Without safe shelter and aid, civilians in Gaza risk death or will be forced to Egypt and beyond. Forced displacement out of Gaza may end prospects for the political solution that is intrinsic to UNRWA’s mandate, with grave risks to regional peace and security. A forced displacement beyond Palestinian land, reminiscent of the 1948 nakba, must be prevented," he added.

"In my 35 years working in complex emergencies, I have never written such a letter - predicting the killing of my staff and the collapse of the mandate I am expected to fulfill," Lazzarini said.

He concluded by urgently requesting a ceasefire in Gaza.

US uses veto power, blocks UNSC resolution calling for Gaza ceasefire

This comes after the United States, on Friday, vetoed a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, shielding its ally.

The US deputy representative at the UN, Robert Wood, said the resolution was "divorced from reality" and "would have not moved the needle forward on the ground."

Thirteen Security Council members voted in favor of a brief draft resolution, presented through the UAE, and Britain abstained. The vote came after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres invoked the UN charter’s Article 99 for it on Wednesday.

"The United Arab Emirates is deeply disappointed," said the representative of the UAE who had sponsored the resolution calling for a ceasefire.

"Regrettably... this council is unable to demand a humanitarian ceasefire."

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