Urgent Calls For A Long-Standing Humanitarian Ceasefire
AMMAN/RAFAH23 November 2023
Statement from UNRWA Commissioner-General Phillipe Lazzarini on Gaza Humanitarian Pause
'I聽have聽just聽returned聽from聽my second聽visit聽to the Gaza聽Strip聽since the war began. I聽bear聽witness聽to the聽unspeakable suffering聽of people.
Since my first visit聽two weeks ago,聽the聽humanitarian聽situation聽has聽already聽become聽far worse. Displacement continues. 聽UNRWA now hosts more than 1 million people in its schools and premises across the Gaza Strip.
As聽we all聽anticipate聽the beginning of the聽much-awaited pause, I聽reiterate聽my call for a聽long-standing聽humanitarian ceasefire.聽聽People are exhausted and are losing hope in humanity. They need respite, they deserve to聽sleep without being anxious about聽whether they will make it through the night. This is the bare minimum聽anyone should be able to have.聽聽
The pause is also an opportunity to聽reach聽people in聽need including聽in聽the聽north聽and to start聽repairing聽civilian聽infrastructure.
UNRWA is committed to continue聽bringing聽assistance聽to people in need.聽We聽are聽ready to receive聽more than聽150 trucks of aid per day without interruption.聽
It is time to scrap the聽bureaucratic聽hurdles and limits imposed on the humanitarian community so that we expand聽and speed up聽the聽delivery of desperately needed humanitarian assistance to more than 2 million聽people.'
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