Geneva, Dec. 16 (SANA)Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), called on Tuesday for the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, warning that the humanitarian crisis is worsening as the winter storm intensifies.
In a statement on social media, Lazzarini said that heavy rains and freezing temperatures brought by Storm Byron are endangering the lives of thousands of displaced people who lack adequate shelter, adding that many are dying from exposure to the cold in flooded rubble.
The UN official noted that aid workers are facing immense challenges in meeting the growing needs of the population, given the continued Israeli restrictions on the entry of tents and essential shelter materials into the Strip. He stressed that large-scale aid delivery is urgent to avoid exposing more displaced families to grave danger.
Israeli authorities continue to impose severe restrictions on the work of humanitarian organizations, including UNRWA, amid international warnings that these measures could lead to the complete collapse of the humanitarian operation in Gaza.
