UNRWA Chief Defends Agency Amid Calls for Dismantlement, Warns of Deepening Gaza Crisis

Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, emphasizes the agency's irreplaceable role in providing humanitarian aid in Gaza, amidst mounting criticism and funding suspensions.

• UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini defends the agency against calls for its dismantlement, highlighting its essential role in Gaza's humanitarian crisis.
• Major donors, including the US, suspend funding to UNRWA following allegations of staff involvement in Hamas activities, exacerbating the funding crisis.
• Lazzarini warns of the dire consequences of a potential Israeli military incursion in Rafah, fearing significant civilian casualties and further humanitarian disaster.
• UNRWA's role in providing education and basic services to Palestinian refugees is deemed irreplaceable by Lazzarini, amid concerns over the agency's future.
• The UN and international community are urged to find a political solution to the Gaza crisis, with Lazzarini emphasizing the importance of UNRWA in any future transition.

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