People are anxious and fearful about a possible large-scale military operation in Rafah, Lazzarini told reporters while recalling that thousands of Palestinians in Rafah have nowhere to go.
There is no longer a safe place in Rafah and the fear is that the number of people killed and wounded could surge significantly, Lazzarini said regarding the announcement by Israeli forces to increase their military operations in Rafah.
UNRWA´s chief considered unfeasible the relocation of over one million displaced people who remain in Rafah.
At the same time, Lazzarini dismissed a possible replacement of UNRWA in Gaza while the UN investigation progresses after Israel’s accusations linking several of its members to the Palestinian resistance.
Its statements were in response to the proposal of the Israeli ambassador to the UN headquarters in Geneva, Meirav Eilon Shahar, who pointed out the possibility of seeking “options to UNRWA”.
UNRWA´s operation cessation would be a short-term decision at a time when senior humanitarians and UN agencies are calling for more assistance in Gaza, Shahar replied.
“There is absolutely no other UN agency or NGO with the expertise in providing similar services to the government, including education to hundreds of thousands of children,” UNRWA´s head added.
If we want to give any future transition a chance to succeed, we also have to make sure that the international community has the tools, and one of these tools is UNRWA, he stressed.
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