“Every hour we receive more and more desperate calls for help,” the head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinean Refugees in Palestine (UNRWA) recounted in a letter sent to the foreign ministers of the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation meeting Wednesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

I request they strongly and unconditionally support humanitarian efforts to safeguard civilians in that territory, Lazzarini wrote in his message, published on the UN agency’s website.

The official stressed that after 12 days of Israeli aggression thousands of Palestinians were killed, including women and children.

At least one million people were forced to flee their homes in just one week, of which more than half a million sought refuge in our schools and other facilities in southern Gaza, he said.

Lazzarini denounced that 14 members of UNRWA lost their lives due to the Israeli bombardment and detailed that another 13,000 employees had to abandon their posts.

He stated that since the beginning of the escalation, Israel has not allowed any aid to be sent to the Strip due to the total siege.

“People are forced to drink water that is unfit for consumption, as there is simply no potable water available, while stocks of food, hygiene materials and medicines are rapidly decreasing,” he said.

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