AhlulBayt News Agency: Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has condemned Israel’s use of food and humanitarian aid as a weapon in its war on Gaza, calling it a clear war crime that must not be ignored.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Lazzarini emphasized that the situation in Gaza over the past nineteen months, particularly in recent weeks, reflects a deliberate strategy of using food and humanitarian supplies to achieve political or military objectives against civilians.
He stressed that such actions amount to a war crime, stating, “The international court will make its judgment, but what we are witnessing on the ground confirms this inhumane use of deprivation”.
Lazzarini described the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza as reaching indescribable levels. He noted, “I cannot find the words to fully capture the misery and tragedy people are enduring. Hunger is spreading. People are exhausted, starving. If the situation continues without urgent intervention, people may not die from the bombing—but from hunger”.
He referred to international reports, including the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report, which confirm that Gaza is on the brink of famine. The entire population of more than two million people—roughly half of them children—are facing severe food insecurity due to the ongoing Israeli blockade.
Lazzarini urged the international community to act immediately to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, warning that the continued blockade will lead to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe.
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