Affirms No UNRWA Alternative, Lazzarini: If There Is No International Response, Responsibility In Israel

Head of UNRWA Philippe Lazzarini. (Twitter/@UNLazzarini)

JAKARTA - Head of the United Nations Palestinian Aid Agency (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini reiterated that the only alternative for the agency was that Israel allowed services on its territory, repeating calls for countries to reject Israel's ban.

He said on Monday while in Geneva attending a strategic meeting with donors, after Israel banned the agency from operating in its territory last month in what it called the darkest moment in UNRWA's 75-year history.

"I keep being asked whether there is a plan B or not? There is no plan B," Lazzarini told reporters on the sidelines of the meeting.

"If there is no UN or international community response, responsibility will return to the occupation force, namely Israel," he stressed.

The United Nations Agency for Assistance and Work provides assistance and shelter for many Gazans who have lost their homes due to the war for 13 months.

Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA of involvement in Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023 against Israel that sparked the latest conflict in Gaza.

Israeli calculations said the attack killed 1,200 people and more than 250 others were held hostage, triggering retaliatory attacks to ground operations by Israel.

On the other hand, Gaza's health authorities confirmed that the death toll from Palestine had reached 43,922 people, while the injured reached 103,898, the majority being women and children, WAFA reported.

The UN investigation found that nine UNRWA staff might be involved and fired them. The crisis caused some donors to temporarily suspend funding even though most have been restored, with the exception of Washington's main donors.

Lazzarini said he asked countries at Geneva's meeting to try to stop Israel's parliamentary bill, which will take effect in late January.

"We will operate until the day we are unable to operate anymore, and meanwhile, we will spend all possible diplomatic lines," he said.

The agency has felt the impact of Israel's ban, said Lazzarini.

She cited an incident in which a UNRWA female employee was interrogated and handcuffed to a post by Israeli forces last week in the occupied West Bank, without providing further details.

Separately, the Israeli military said it needed more information, including the exact date and location of the alleged incident, before responding to Lazzarini's allegations.