The head of the organization in this Palestinian enclave emphasizes that “it is difficult to imagine that Gazans can survive this crisis without UNRWA.” Also be aware that in the north of the Gaza Strip the population makes flour from bird food.
The UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) plans to suspend its humanitarian activities at the end of February if the countries that have frozen the sending of funds do not reverse their decisions, after 16 governments withdrew their cooperation over the alleged involvement of workers in the Hamas attacks of October 7.
“If the funds remain suspended, it is very likely that we will have to suspend our operations at the end of February, not only in Gaza but in the entire region,” warned UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini, referring to activities that also extend to the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
In the case of Gaza, UNRWA is the largest humanitarian organization. Before the outbreak of the conflict it had 13,000 employees, of which 3,000 are still working. The head of the organization in this Palestinian enclave, Thomas White, has emphasized that “it is difficult to imagine that Gazans can survive this crisis without UNRWA.”
The organization is concerned about the situation throughout Gaza, starting in the north, where the military offensive launched by Israel was initially concentrated. Although access to this part of the Strip is minimal, UNRWA is aware that there may be people grinding bird food into flour.
UNRWA has asked in vain for access to the northern area and on the few occasions it has managed to arrive, the population shows signs of desperation. “When our convoys are finally able to leave, people crowd into the trucks to get food, often eating it on the spot,” White explains.
The south, in turn, hosts the largest number of internally displaced people. In the city of Rafá alone, located in the far south, 1.4 million people are crammed together, most of them in precarious shelters and with few basic services, in a context now complicated by the new displacement resulting from the intensification of operations . in Khan Yunis.
Palestinians flee from besieged Khan Yunis
At least 184,000 people have left the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis due to heavy fighting and evacuation orders, according to UNRWA.
More than 27,000 Gazans have been killed in the 118 days of war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas and it is also estimated that there are nearly 8,000 dead bodies under the rubble, the Gaza Strip-controlled Health Ministry said on Thursday. Islamist movement.
The ministry has so far recorded 27,019 deaths and 66,139 injuries since October 7. In the past 24 hours, 118 deaths and 190 injuries were recorded.
Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
