UNRWA Chief Alleges Gaza Aid Distribution Centers Turn into ‘israeli’ Death Traps
The Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has expressed serious concerns regarding the recently established aid distribution centers operated by the US-supported Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) in the Gaza Strip. These sites, intended to provide relief, have unfortunately turned into "death traps" for the civilians suffering under the ongoing blockade.
Philippe Lazzarini voiced his concerns in a post on his X account on Sunday following two lethal assaults by the Israeli regime on aid distribution centers in Gaza earlier the same day, resulting in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians.
Lazzarini criticized the aid distribution model implemented by Israel and the United States, stating, “This degrading system has compelled thousands of starving and desperate individuals to travel dozens of miles to a largely devastated area as a result of intense bombardment by Israeli forces.”
He emphasized the necessity for aid deliveries and distribution to be conducted safely and on a large scale, stressing that this objective can only be achieved through the United Nations, including the UNRWA.
The head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency has urged Israel to lift the blockade on Gaza and provide unimpeded access for essential humanitarian aid to the isolated region. The official emphasized that this action is crucial to prevent widespread starvation, particularly affecting 1 million children.
Amidst a surge of competing narratives and widespread disinformation efforts, Lazzarini emphasized the necessity for international media access to Gaza. He stressed the importance of allowing journalists into the region to provide independent reports on the ongoing violence, highlighting the urgency following the egregious incident that occurred this morning.
Early Sunday morning, Israeli forces launched an assault on a GHF location in Rafah, a southern city in Gaza, resulting in at least 40 fatalities and injuring 150 individuals.
Shortly thereafter, reports emerged of a Palestinian casualty in a shooting incident at the GHF distribution center located in Gaza City, just south of the area known as the Netzarim Corridor.
US-backed aid sites initiated their operations in the Gaza Strip last Monday. On the subsequent morning, as thousands of Palestinians gathered at one of these locations, Israeli forces opened fire, resulting in the deaths of three Palestinians and injuring dozens more.
The Global Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) announced the inauguration of a second location on Wednesday. On the same day, Israeli forces allegedly fired on individuals seeking aid at one of GHF’s sites located west of Rafah, resulting in the deaths of at least six Palestinians.
The Government Media Office in Gaza reported on Sunday that within a span of less than a week, Israeli forces have been responsible for the deaths of 50 individuals and have injured hundreds at GHF locations.
On Sunday, the Gaza Ministry of Health issued a statement characterizing the GHF aid distribution centers as “Israeli death traps,” claiming they serve as a new tool for the forced displacement of Palestinians in the region.
In a statement released on Telegram, the ministry reported that all individuals who reached hospitals after Sunday’s assault on Palestinians at an aid distribution location in Rafah had suffered a gunshot wound to the head or chest. The ministry emphasized that this highlights what it describes as Israel’s “insistence on brutally killing civilians.”
Munir al-Barsh, the Director General of the Health Ministry in Gaza, has criticized what he described as “the international silence” in response to the alleged atrocities being inflicted on the starving population of the Gaza Strip. He further highlighted the acute shortages of medical supplies, warning that these deficiencies are creating “dire conditions” within hospitals in the region.
He further stated that 3,000 trucks loaded with essential medical supplies are currently delayed at the border, alleging that Israel is intentionally facilitating the spread of infectious diseases and epidemics through the blockade.
The humanitarian crisis in Gaza has significantly intensified since March 18, following the Israeli regime’s breach of its ceasefire agreement with the resistance group Hamas.
According to the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), Gaza is currently experiencing a phase 5 famine, with approximately 71,000 children under the age of five facing the threat of acute malnutrition.
