JAKARTA - UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini revealed that three months after the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Palestine was in effect, conditions had not improved enough to meet the needs of the population, stressing that humanitarian aid was still below the level needed.
In a press statement issued on Thursday on the latest developments in Gaza, Lazzarini said, "Three months after the ceasefire, the aid is still not enough to meet the needs of the community," reported WAFA (9/1).
Furthermore, he noted, although food aid had arrived, non-food aid was still very limited.
"People are still living among the ruins, in unsafe shelters. There are tents that leak and do not provide protection. People lack almost everything," he said.
Lazzarini stressed that the cold weather had added to the suffering of the population exhausted by the devastating two-year war, characterized by destruction, murder, and forced displacement, reiterating that current aid does not meet basic needs.
Despite the challenges, he said education remained a top priority, noting that more than 60,000 children had returned to face-to-face school, while more than 280,000 children received distance education.
"However, this is still far from what is needed," he said.
Lazzarini also discussed the UNRWA financial crisis, pointing out that the United States had frozen its funding to the agency since February 2024 following allegations involving several of its staff.
He also noted that several UNRWA activities in occupied East Jerusalem had completely ceased due to Israeli laws and the designation of East Jerusalem as part of Israel's territory.
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