The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has stated that there is no safe haven for civilians in Gaza, not even in UN shelters and designated “safe zones” by Israel. Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), revealed that over 80 UN facilities in Gaza have been hit since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. These facilities include sites that have been sheltering civilians. UNRWA has reported that more than 220 Palestinians were killed in these strikes, along with 130 of its employees.
Lazzarini emphasized that there is absolutely no safe place in the Gaza Strip. While it is difficult to investigate the circumstances of these strikes amid the ongoing conflict, he believes that the blatant disregard of UN premises will require an independent investigation in the future. Israeli officials have denied targeting UN facilities but have accused Hamas of using these buildings as cover for military activities.
The UN reports that over 1.87 million Palestinians, which is over 80 percent of Gaza’s population, have fled their homes. The UN-run shelters are currently housing more than 1 million displaced individuals in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. Lazzarini visited Gaza before a seven-day cease-fire ended and witnessed the overcrowding in the shelters. As the Israeli ground offensive pushed into the southern part of the strip, civilians have been forced into smaller areas along the closed-off border with Egypt.
UNRWA is focusing on improving conditions in existing shelters, including its network of schools across Gaza. Lazzarini stated that they do not want to place people in places that are not necessarily safer when there are already over 1 million people living in appalling conditions in existing shelters. Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli military spokesman, called for pressure on UNRWA to set up proper facilities. However, it remains unclear how such a small area could accommodate such a large number of displaced people.
Lazzarini called for a new cease-fire and for the opening of more border crossings to allow aid and commercial goods to enter Gaza. Currently, aid can only enter the strip from Egypt via the Rafah border crossing, causing severe bottlenecks. UNRWA’s relationship with Israeli authorities has been adversarial in the past, with right-wing Israeli politicians accusing the agency of perpetuating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. UNRWA has refuted these claims, stating that it is simply carrying out its mandate to serve a vulnerable population.
Lazzarini emphasized that UNRWA is in constant coordination with Israeli authorities during the current conflict. Post-war, the agency is prepared to assist whichever body is governing the strip in restoring services that have halted, including reopening schools. Lazzarini expressed hope that the devastating conflict will trigger a political process leading to a resolution that would make UNRWA obsolete. He believes that if the international community prioritizes resolving the longest unresolved conflict, there can be a trajectory of hope for the people in the region and the future of UNRWA.