UNRWA Commissioner-General says Palestinians in northern Gaza are 'waiting to die', says UNRWA's staff cannot find food or water

NEW YORK, October 22, 2023 (WAFA) — The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini said the Agency’s staff in the Gaza Strip cannot find “food, water or medical care.”

In a post on X, Lazzarini  said that “nearly three weeks of non-stop bombardments from the Israeli Forces as the death toll increases.”

“Our staff report they cannot find food, water or medical care. The smell of death is everywhere as bodies are left lying on the roads or under the rubble. Missions to clear the bodies or provide humanitarian assistance are denied,” he added.

“In northern Gaza, people are just waiting to die. They feel deserted, hopeless and alone. They live from one hour to the next, fearing death at every second,” he noted. “Throughout the war over the past year, some UNRWA staff stayed in the north & did the impossible to provide aid to internally displaced people.”

“We kept some of our shelters open despite heavy bombardments & attacks on our buildings. On behalf of our staff in northern Gaza, I am calling for an immediate truce, even if for few hours, to enable safe humanitarian passage for families who wish to leave the area & reach safer places. This is the bare minimum to save the lives of civilians who have nothing to do with this conflict.”