With Israel’s complete blockade on Gaza approaching 10 days, Philippe Lazzarini says aid is being ‘weaponised’.
Published On 11 Mar 2025
Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, has warned that the situation in Gaza is “deteriorating very, very quickly”, more than a week after Israel again halted all supplies from entering the Gaza Strip.
“Whatever the intent is, it’s clearly a weaponisation of humanitarian aid into Gaza,” Lazzarini told reporters at UN offices in Geneva on Monday.
“It is critical that humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza again to maintain the progress made during the first phase of the ceasefire and meet people’s basic needs,” he said, adding that there remains a risk of returning to the “deepening hunger” seen before the recent ceasefire.
Lazzarini heads up UNRWA, which has been mandated by the UN General Assembly to provide assistance to Palestinians, in Palestine and neighbouring countries, since December 1949.
The agency provides schooling and healthcare services, and could only be replaced by “capable Palestinian institutions” within “a Palestinian state”, Lazzarini has repeatedly said, amid his agency being banned by the Israeli government.
Lazzarini told journalists that “a fierce disinformation campaign”, legislation outlawing UNRWA in Israel’s parliament and “the suspension of funding by key donors” have taken a toll on the agency.
He warned that UNRWA cannot be allowed to “implode”.
“Collapse would create a dangerous vacuum in the occupied Palestinian territory and send shockwaves through Jordan, Lebanon and Syria,” Lazzarini said.
“An environment in which children are deprived of education, and people lack access to basic services, is fertile ground for exploitation and extremism,” he said.
“This is a threat to peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
The agency’s financial situation is also “critical and precarious”, Lazzarini added.
Prior to January 26, 2024, the United States was UNRWA’s largest fund