The head of the U.N. agency supporting Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank has appealed to the Security Council to safeguard its existence amid Israeli calls for its dissolution. Philippe Lazzarini warned that dismantling the agency, known as UNRWA, would worsen Gaza's humanitarian crisis and hasten famine. International experts have raised concerns about imminent famine in northern Gaza, potentially affecting half of the territory's 2.3 million residents if the conflict escalates.
Lazzarini emphasized that ending UNRWA's operations would leave half a million children without education, exacerbate violence, and deprive Gaza's population of essential services like healthcare and food. Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan accused UNRWA of being infiltrated by Hamas and promoting a one-state solution led by Palestinians, calling for the agency's defunding.
