UNRWA Chief Urges Israel to End Forced Famine in Gaza

New York: Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), has called on Israel to stop denying what he described as the “forced famine being imposed on Gaza.”

In a strong statement, Lazzarini said the world has a duty to pressure Israel to end the forced famine, warning that the humanitarian situation is worsening by the hour.

“Every passing hour in Gaza is crucial,” he stressed, urging immediate international action to prevent further loss of life.

On the other hand, Israeli attacks across Gaza have killed at least 62,622 people and wounded 157,673 since October 2023, Al Jazeera reported on Saturday.

In the latest 24-hour reporting period, the bodies of 61 people and 308 injured Palestinians have been brought to hospitals across the besieged enclave, hospital officials said.

Moreover, the bodies of 16 people killed while seeking aid and 111 wounded aid seekers were brought to Gaza’s health facilities in the past 24 hours.

The deaths raise the total number of aid seekers who have been killed by Israeli fire since the establishment of the food distribution system by the Israel- and US-backed GHF at the end of May to 2,076 with more than 15,308 wounded.