JERUSALEM: Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), has warned that the suspension of funding by several countries as threatens the ongoing humanitarian work in the region, especially in Gaza. He called on these nations to reconsider their decisions.
Lazzarini emphasized that the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip did not need this additional collective punishment.
In a statement, Lazzarini remarked, ‘It is shocking to see a suspension of funds to the Agency in reaction to allegations against a small group of staff, especially given the immediate action that UNRWA took by terminating their contracts and asking for a transparent independent investigation.’
Meanwhile, Martin Griffiths, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, stated that the residents of Gaza are experiencing unimaginable horrors and deprivation, emphasizing that now is not the time to let them down.
Source: Palestine News and Information Agency