LONDON – The head of the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees has warned that famine in Gaza remains preventable, but only if there is the political will to act.
Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), said the amount of aid reaching the territory is “vastly disproportionate” to the scale of the crisis.
“What we are asking for is not impossible,” he said in a press statement on Saturday, urging that UN agencies be allowed to deliver vital assistance and uphold the dignity of those in need.
According to Lazzarini, just 900 aid trucks have entered Gaza over the past two weeks — covering only around 10% of the population’s daily needs. He stressed that preventing famine requires political decisions, not just logistical efforts.
He also called for the full resumption of humanitarian operations, which have largely been suspended since March 2. During the previous ceasefire, UNRWA and its partners had managed to bring in 600 to 800 trucks per day, he noted, underlining that it is feasible to scale up aid if access is granted.
Meanwhile, medical sources in Gaza said at least 60 Palestinians were killed and 284 injured in the past 24 hours amid ongoing fighting. Local health authorities report that since the conflict began in October 2023, 54,381 people have been killed and 124,381 wounded, with women and children making up the majority of casualties.
Since hostilities resumed on March 18, following a two-month truce, a further 4,117 people have been killed and 12,013 injured, the same sources added.
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