UNRWA Chief: Israeli Claims of ‘Safe’, ‘Humanitarian’ Zones ‘False’

Over 800,000 Palestinians have been forced to flee yet again to “so-called safe zones” since “Israel” began its incursion in Rafah, UNRWA Chief Philippe Lazzarini said.

He lamented the numerous times that the people of Gaza have been forcibly displaced in a post on X, leaving them exposed and without “safe passage or protection,” detailing how every time, they have to leave everything behind and begin their lives anew. 

To make matters worse, he noted that most areas that people are fleeing to now lack safe water or sanitation and even basic emergency humanitarian assistance.

Lazzarini added that al-Mawassi, which he described as a sandy 14-kilometer land with “little to no buildings or roads” and lacking “minimal conditions to provide emergency humanitarian assistance in a safe and dignified manner,” held some 400,000 people before the invasion of Rafah.

“The humanitarian community does not have any more supplies to give out, including food and other basic items. ”

In addition, he emphasized that lack of fuel, unstable telecommunication, and continued airstrikes render the much-needed delivery of aid “almost impossible”.

Humanitarian help must be delivered quickly and unhindered to all citizens in need, no matter where they are, the chief emphasized, adding that food, shelter, and safety are essential for the displaced.

Lazzarini urged the reopening of crossings and safe access to the same routes, citing that if they are not reopened, “the deprivation of assistance and catastrophic humanitarian conditions will persist.”

He also called for the preservation of civilian life and urged a necessary ceasefire and the avoidance of further escalation, explaining that it would deprive those affected of the peace they deserve. 

UNRWA denounces ‘Israel’s safe zones’ as ‘false’

The chief of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini also dismissed “Israel’s” assertion regarding the establishment of purported “safe zones” for forcibly displaced Palestinians as “false and misleading” via his X post on Sunday.

“The claim of ‘safe zones’ is false and misleading,” the UNRWA chief stressed.

He added that Israeli authorities persist in issuing mandatory displacement directives, also referred to as “evacuation orders”, compelling residents in Rafah to evacuate hastily without designated destinations.

“Since the war began, most people in Gaza have moved multiple times: on average once a month. They desperately sought safety that they never found,” he further stated.

Lazzarini also highlighted that the Palestinians displaced from Gaza have no alternative but to seek refuge in UNRWA’s shelters, many of which have already been targeted and damaged by Israeli military actions.
 
“No place is safe in Gaza. Period,” he concluded.