Lazzarini: Gaza Became ‘Graveyard for Tens of Thousands of People’

On the occasion of one year of the war on Gaza, the Commissioner General of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, posted a lengthy statement on X, condemning the ongoing war on the Strip. 

“Twelve months of brutal war have transformed the Gaza Strip into an unrecognizable sea of rubble, and a graveyard for tens of thousands of people, among them far too many children,” he said.

Lazzarini stressed that one year later, “not a day goes by without families in Gaza being subjected to unspeakable suffering, forced displacement, disease, hunger, and death,” emphasizing that it has become a daily norm for the 2 million people being bombed in the besieged enclave.

“A year of profound loss, grief, and suffering. A year of dehumanization and disregard of international law; a free fall descent into barbarism. In Gaza, civilians continue to bear the brunt of the war.”

Lazzarini touched on the record number of UNRWA members being killed, saying that as of now, more than 220 UNRWA team members have been killed, detailing that it is “the highest death toll in the history of the United Nations.”

He added, “Children have been the first and most to suffer. Beyond the killing and injury, every child in Gaza is traumatized many with life-long invisible scars.”

Moreover, Lazzarini said, “More than 650,000 children are losing another year of learning. Instead of being in classrooms, they are sifting through the rubble in despair and fear. The destruction of essential infrastructure has reached catastrophic levels.”

According to the statistics, he revealed that more than two-thirds of UNRWA buildings have been hit and deemed unusable, the vast majority while sheltering displaced people under the UN flag.

Lazzarini warned that poverty is deepening as people lose income and as movement restrictions are reinforced, adding that “the expansion of the war into Lebanon is wreaking havoc on civilians, many forced to relive traumas of the past. It is time for courage: a deal that would finally bring a ceasefire and respite to people in Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, and the wider region.”

Concerning the West Bank, he stressed that civilians “continued to endure destruction, fear, and anxiety amid an escalation and increase in operations by the Israeli military and clashes with Palestinian armed groups.”

“It is time to put the guns down after decades of killing and immense pain. It is time to release all hostages safely to their families, who are living through unbearable uncertainty.”

As “Israel” continues to obstruct humanitarian aid to the Strip, he stressed that “it is time to bring a standard flow of basic humanitarian supplies including to the hungry and sick in Gaza. There are no winners in wars. The only way out is through a diplomatic and peaceful solution.”

“It’s time to heal the wounds. It’s time to choose peace!”