UNRWA: Israeli occupation uses aid as a war weapon in Gaza

GAZA, April 22 (YPA) – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) accused the Israeli occupation authorities of using humanitarian aid as a pressure card and a weapon in the war and demanded the lifting of the severe siege that has been ongoing on Gaza for fifty days.

In a statement published on Tuesday on the X platform, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini expressed his condemnation, questioning, “How long will words of condemnation remain untransformed into actions that contribute to lifting the blockade and resuming the ceasefire, to save what remains of humanity?”

Lazzarini pointed out that the siege imposed on Gaza for fifty days has led to a deliberate and worsening spread of hunger, turning Gaza into a land of despair.

He added, “Two million people, the majority of whom are women and children, are facing collective punishment, while the wounded, sick, and elderly are deprived of medicine and healthcare.”

Lazzarini confirmed that humanitarian organizations have prepared aid to deliver to Gaza, which includes nearly 3,000 trucks of vital UNRWA assistance.

The UN official warned that essential supplies allocated to those in need were on the verge of expiration, urging for the immediate lifting of the blockade and the facilitation of supply entry, as well as the release of Israeli prisoners and the resumption of the ceasefire.

On April 9, UNRWA warned that the Gaza Strip was approaching the stage of “extreme hunger” as a result of the ongoing Israeli siege and that the remaining basic supplies were about to run out.

YPA