Head of Palestinian relief organization deplores deliberate obstructions
Published: Thursday, Nov 16th 2023, 18:30
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The humanitarian activities of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip are being deliberately obstructed, according to its head. There is no other way to explain why Israel has not responded to the urgent request for fuel deliveries for weeks, said UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini in Geneva on Thursday. "I believe there is a deliberate attempt to strangulate our operation," he said. "It is outrageous that UN organizations have to beg for fuel."
On Wednesday, a tanker truck was allowed to enter the sealed-off Gaza Strip for the first time since the war began on October 7. It had around 23,000 liters of fuel on board - a drop in the ocean for observers. According to UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, around 200,000 liters a day are needed for a minimum humanitarian supply.
Lazzarini went on to say that children in UNRWA shelters were begging new arrivals for a drink of water or a piece of bread. This devastating situation is man-made. With political will, it could be ended in no time at all.
Lazzarini said that the last remnants of public order in the Gaza Strip were in danger of collapsing with the end of the last fuel supplies and a breakdown in communications. The consequences are unforeseeable. Since Thursday, some untreated sewage has been flowing through the streets because sewage treatment plants are no longer working.
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