Gaza is "hell"
UNRWA deplores “failure of humanity”
The UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which is tasked with providing humanitarian aid and protection to Palestinian refugees, is lamenting an "unprecedented failure of humanity". UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini describes the situation in the Gaza Strip as "hell".
The "catastrophic extent" of the hunger suffered by almost two million people there is the result of human action, Lazzarini told his organization's supervisory body on Monday. "Children are dying of malnutrition and dehydration while food and clean water wait in trucks." He added that the breakdown of civil order had also led to "unrestrained looting" and smuggling. Lazzarini called for the "crucial role" of UNRWA to be protected. It must be able to continue its work until a political solution is in sight.
UNRWA hit the headlines in January because Israel claimed that twelve of its employees were involved in the massacre on 7 October and that the organization as a whole had been infiltrated by Hamas. An audit report by independent experts later concluded that UNRWA had established "robust" mechanisms to uphold its principle of neutrality. However, there was room for improvement. At the same time, the report stated that Israel had never provided evidence for some allegations.
Survivors of victims of the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 have nonetheless sued UNRWA. According to court documents filed in New York on Monday, they accuse the aid organization of having contributed to the attack by the radical Islamic Palestinian organization. The aid organization is accused of helping Hamas build its "terrorist infrastructure" for more than ten years. UNRWA "knowingly" provided Hamas with money "to pay dealers in weapons, explosives and other terrorist equipment". The aid organization did not comment when asked by the AFP news agency.
Palestinian president travels to Moscow
Apparently, the Kremlin is now also making increasingly intensive efforts to find a political solution to the conflict. According to Russian agency reports, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will travel to Moscow for talks. However, a specific date has not yet been set. According to another report by the RIA agency, the 88-year-old politician, who rules the West Bank, had originally planned to come to Russia in November last year. However, the visit was postponed at the request of the Palestinian side, it was reported.
The Russian Federation, which maintains relations with Arab countries, Iran and Hamas as well as with Israel, condemns the violence on both sides and accuses the USA of not recognizing the importance of an independent Palestinian state.
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