Gaza ‘Unfit for Human Habitation’ After Nine-Week War: UN
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - The head of the UN's Palestinian refugee agency declared Gaza uninhabitable after nine weeks of Israeli war, citing rampant hunger, overcrowded UN shelters, and the urgent need to end Zionist's siege on the enclave.
Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), conveyed the dire situation during a press conference in Geneva, emphasizing how Israel's ground operation forcibly displaced over a million refugees to Rafah, turning it into a focal point for the crisis.
"Rafah is the epicenter of the displacement," Lazzarini lamented. “One [UN] warehouse that became a shelter is home to 30,000 people. The lucky ones have made it inside our premises. The others have absolutely nowhere to go. They live in the open, in the cold, in the mud, and under the rain. Everywhere you look is congested with makeshift shelters. Everywhere you go people are desperate, hungry, and are terrified.”
As Israel's bombing campaign began, Gaza City's residents were urged to migrate south for safety, only to face further displacement due to bombings in Khan Younis. Now, with Israeli ground troops pushing into both cities, Rafah remains the sole relatively safe zone in the strip.
The sudden influx has overwhelmed Rafah, already Gaza's poorest area, straining its limited resources. According to Lazzarini Israel’s near-total siege exacerbated food and water shortages, despite aid convoys allowed through the Egypt-Rafah crossing, failing to meet the critical needs of millions.
Lazzarini expressed anguish over encountering individuals who had gone without food for days, describing how trucks carrying food are often unable to make it to UN shelters and distribution points. “People are stopping aid trucks, taking the food, and eating it right away,” he added.
“Every time I go back [to Gaza], I always think it cannot get worse, but every time I see more misery, more grief, more sadness, and have the feeling that Gaza is not really a habitable place any more,” the UN official told reporters.
Statistics from the Gaza Health Ministry revealed staggering casualties, with nearly 19,000 fatalities and over 50,000 injuries since the offensive commenced. Strikes on UNRWA facilities claimed 270 lives and injured more than 1,000, including the loss of 135 UNRWA staff members.
Lazzarini's impassioned plea underscored the urgent need for an immediate end to the Israeli siege and an unimpeded flow of aid to reverse Gaza's rapidly deteriorating humanitarian crisis.