On the eve of the 100th day of Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip, the United Nations labeled the relentless onslaught a stain on humanity. Philippe Lazzarini, Head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), expressed his concerns in a statement on Saturday.
The massive death, destruction, displacement, hunger, loss, and grief of the last 100 days are staining our shared humanity, Lazzarini declared.
The crisis in Gaza is a man-made disaster compounded by dehumanizing language and the use of food, water, and fuel as instruments of war, he added, emphasizing the dire situation in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Lazzarini highlighted the impact of the sustained bombardment on Gaza’s population, leading to mass displacement. In the past 100 days, sustained bombardment across the Gaza Strip caused the mass displacement of a population that is in a state of flux – constantly uprooted and forced to leave overnight only to move to places, which are just as unsafe, he stated.
The Israeli military campaign has resulted in a genocidal war claiming the lives of at least 23,843 people, with the majority being women and children. Additionally, 60,317 others have been wounded as the regime rendered some 700,000 Palestinians homeless in a hugely-Western-backed war.
Lazzarini drew attention to the plight of children in Gaza, describing it as especially heartbreaking. He noted, An entire generation of children is traumatized and will take years to heal. Thousands have been killed, maimed, and orphaned. Hundreds of thousands are deprived of education. Their future is in jeopardy, with far-reaching and long-lasting consequences, he added.
The UN official expressed concern about the obstacles facing humanitarian relief operations in Gaza. He cited cumbersome procedures imposed by the Israeli regime on the entry of supplies and a myriad of obstacles complicating the safe and orderly distribution of aid.
The onset of winter makes life even more unbearable, especially for those living out in the open, warned Lazzarini, emphasizing the urgency of establishing a humanitarian ceasefire. However, the Israeli regime’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, earlier on Saturday, vowed to continue the military aggression.
