UN Geneva - Multimedia Newsroom : UNRWA Press conference: Update on operations

Colleagues, thank you very much for being here this time of the afternoon.

We've got the great pleasure to welcome again to Geneva and to the Information service Mr Philippe Ladzarini, the UNRWA Commissioner General, for an update on the work of UNRWA across its area of operation Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the occupied West Bank, including E Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

As usual, CG Ladzarini will give some sluttery remarks and then we will take a few questions.

[Other language spoken]

Always a pleasure to be here.

Just had a long Member State briefing and effort.

It was also important to meet with the press.

So as Alessandro indicated, I will start with first by delivering my remarks, but after that, of course, we'll go in the Q and in the Q&A.

So in my meeting with with the Member State, I stress that it is now.

It has been almost 10 days since the State of Israel banned the entry of Edmonton Aid and commercial supplied into the Gaza Strip, somehow situations similar to the one which prevailed in October 2023.

This decision threatens the life and survival of civilian in Gaza who have had only a brief respite from 16 months of Britain war.

The ceasefire agreement has shown that whenever there is a political will, humanitarian assistance can be unhindered and uninterrupted.

Between the beginning of the ceasefire on March 2, humanitarian assistance increased tenfold.

It is critical that the aid is allowed into Gaza again to maintain the progress made during the first phase of the ceasefire and meet people's basic need.

And also echo the Court of the Secretary General to once for for the immediate, unconditional, undignified release of all hostages, the dignified release of Palestinian detainees as previously agreed, and for the ceasefire to hold.

I think it's important also to shed light of the situation in the West Bank.

In the West Bank, the operation by the Israeli security forces, which started six weeks ago, is severely impacting Palestinian, especially in the North.

Palestinian armed group are also increasingly active in the area.

7 refugee camp have been nearly emptied displacing around 40,000 Palestinian refugees.

This is the largest displacement of Palestinian into the West Bank since 1967.

The large scale diminution of buildings including residential area is alarming.

People have nowhere to return to.

UNRWA continues to track displaced people and provide humanitarian aid, including food, healthcare and basic items.

In Syria, we have witnessed over the last two days terrible violence.

One of our staff was also tragically caught up in the crossfire.

We continue in the country to provide healthcare and education which for many Palestinian refugees are are absolutely essential for their survival.

And in Lebanon the socio economic crisis have increased the reliance of Palestinian refugees on on war services.

We just did a survey and, and basically we have seen that the UNRWA cash distribution to Palestinian refugees remain has become one of the main source of income for 70% of the Palestinian refugees in the country.

Now talking about the Knesset law, the Knesset legislation, that's what I briefed the member state.

[Other language spoken]

This is about any individual or organisation calling for adherence to international humanitarian law or promoting the right of Palestinian.

When a number of international NGOs have already been silenced.

There is now a larger concerted effort in Israel to undermine or restrict, through legislative measures the operation of international organisation and NGOs.

The Agency has faced serious operation challenges since the Israeli parliament and the onward legislation came into force at the end of January.

In the occupied E Jerusalem, the Agency is facing increased pressure from the municipality to vacate premises and end service provision.

International staff have been effectively expelled from the occupied West Bank due to the lack of valid visa, while some international staff remain in Gaza.

Israel refuses to facilitate the entry or exit via Karen Shalom.

Despite these challenges, UNRWA will stay and deliver on its General Assembly mandate until it is no longer possible to do so in a principal manner.

For example, since the ceasefire began in Gaza, we have provided food to 2 million people, open nearly 40 new emergency shelters, and provided over 60,000 people with stands.

Our health team supported the polio vaccination campaign last month, reaching nearly 200,000 children below the age of 10.

Through temporary learning space and remote learning.

We are also reaching children with education.

As an anecdote, we have open registration for distance learning for the children in Gaza beginning of January.

3 weeks later we had more than 250,000 children having registered and today 70% of them are having distance learning through a digital platform in the West Bank.

Nearly 50,000 children go to the agency school and hundreds of thousands of people rely on our health services.

I must highlight again here the disinformation campaign portraying the agency as a terrorist organisation and our staff as terrorist or terrorist sympathiser.

I do believe that talking to an audience of journalists, checking facts and reporting through first hand official sources is a foundation of independent reporting and key to countering this vicious campaign.

This is especially critical given the prolonged ban on independent international media in Gaza.

There have been no international, independent international media in Gaza since October 2023.

So I continue to urge you, representative of the media, to do more, to get in together to cover untold stories and verify information.

I answer same to member State to help journalists who have access together when it comes to funding on our situation.

I mean, you would be surprised if I would tell you that everything is under control.

It is obviously critical and precarious.

The cash flow is managed monthly and we urgently require additional financial support if the agency is to survive.

Now just to conclude and to tell you what has been the ask today and over the last few weeks, This is a time of tremendous geopolitical uncertainty for Onwar.

The statue call is no longer an option, but we have a choice to make the WE Member States international community.

We can allow the agency to implode due to the fierce disinformation campaign, the Knesset legislation and the suspension of funding by key donors.

Collapse, I believe, would create a dangerous vacuum in the occupied Palestinian territory and send shock waves through Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

An environment in which children are deprived of education and people lack access to basic services is fertile ground for exploitation and extremism, and this is a ****** to peace and stability in the region and beyond.

Alternatively, UNRWA can be supported to progressively conclude its mandate within the framework of a political process like that championed by Saudi Arabia, the European Union and the League of Arab State through the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two State Solution.

The Agency would this be the case, would then gradually transition its public health services to empowered and prepared Palestinian institution and this would preserve the right of Palestinian refugees and their access to basic services.

I have also repeatedly stressed that dismounting the Agency abruptly will not will only deepen the suffering of Palestinian refugees, but it will not cancel the refugee statue.

The rights of Palestinian refugees exist independently of the agency.

So, if UNRWA cease to protect and assist Palestinian refugees, their right will not only remain, but there will be much greater emphasise on the right to return or to be resettled, for which UNRWA has no mandate.

So to conclude, the main task to member state has been sustained, Anwar, until the political direction of travel is clear, that is until the international community considers a political pathway proposed by Arab states through the recovery reconstruction plan outlined in the Cairo Declaration and the proposal of the Global Alliance for the implementation of the two state solution.

[Other language spoken]

Thank you very much, Philippe for these introductory remarks.

Let me open now the floor to question.

I see first, well, the first in front of us.

Jeremy launch Radio France International.

Bonjour, Mercy Francais.

[Other language spoken]

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[Other language spoken]

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[Other language spoken]

Thank you for briefing us again.

I wanted to ask you about your concerns about the impact of the electricity cut in Gaza.

Where could this lead and with what consequences?

And secondly, please, we heard from the Israeli Ambassador to the UN in Geneva earlier today that they're actively seeking to replace Unrwa's work in Gaza and divvy that work up amongst UN agencies or NGOs.

Can you see any signs that they're succeeding and how would you react to this effort in general?

[Other language spoken]

On, on the first question, I mean it's it's too early to comment because if I'm not completely mistaking, electricity was resumed only a few days ago and otherwise people were living on generator diesel.

So the impact might not be as big and much more concerned right now about the impact of a total brokers or the impact that cutting water would have and plus the fact that there is no food of fuel entering into the Gaza Strip anymore.

We we have already seen the first signs of increased prices on the market that the first reaction.

And then we have also seen number of people in the north going to the South because services cannot really be resumed in the north.

And obviously with the blockers you can even let's resume this services.

So I think the more we'd go ahead, the more we will see the impact increasing on the on the population.

And obviously the risk after after one is that we go back to situation we experienced months ago about deepening hunger in, in the in the Gaza stripper.

So it needs to be closely monitored.

But I mean, the broadface needs to be lifted.

We have seen also during this ceasefire, because you remember maybe last time we met here, we were talking about who is responsible of the little aid reaching the people.

But in reality if if you have no obstacle.

On human turn assistance, we have seen that we can significantly increase as it has been the case during this during this.

On the question about is one more replaceable or not, I think I tried to answer in French, so we'll do it in English now.

Always replaceable by empowered prepared Palestinian institution.

We are within a Palestinian state.

We are replaceable by public institution.

You have absolutely no UN agency geared to provide direct public services at scale like we do.

We used to have in Gaza only 300,000 girls and boys in our schools.

There is no agency which provide at scale education for the entire primary and secondary school.

Only a functioning Ministry of Education or or public institution would be able to do this.

The same applies with the Primary Health.

Now the mandate has to be, you know, Israel propose NGOs and UN to take over the mandate of of Anwar.

But this ultimately, it's a discussion to take place at the UN General Assembly.

[Other language spoken]

Nina Larsson, AFP, then I'll take a few from the platform.

Yeah, thank you for for taking my question.

[Other language spoken]

So I, I just wanted to, to follow up just on the, the issue of, of other agencies stepping in because the, the Israeli ambassador was saying that there was a lot of work going on trying to convince the other agencies to come in.

I don't know if you've, if there's been any signs that you've seen.

It was a bit unclear from what he was saying whether any agencies have actually said that there was a possibility of, of doing anything.

And if that's something that concerns you.

And then also you mentioned the issue with the lack of contact and the fact that your staff has been left more vulnerable in in Gaza because of that.

Have you seen an increase in your staff members being killed or injured because of the because of that lacking contact?

[Other language spoken]

On sorry, yes, the the first question was on in.

Fact if you think that that.

Is Oh yes, so sorry.

Yes on the on, yes for the answer.

But sorry, it depends on how you describe the mandate of UNRWA.

UNRWA is primary a human development organisation.

It's not an human organisation per SE.

We were expected to provide, you know, human development services to the Palestinian until the date.

There is a political solution now.

I guess the Israeli ambassador refers to the acute internal emergency right now, who can bring trucks in to Gaza now?

I have always been very clear that other agency can provide bring trucks in to Gaza.

When it comes to food distribution, we have an agency called World Food Programme, which is the main food and cash provider of the United Nation.

UNOIR had and still has a predominant role because of the incredible footprint that we have in Gaza.

And if I compare our footprint with all the other UN agencies together, they do not even represent, you know, 5% of our presence.

Now when it comes to the acute human term emergency, yes, of course you will find other NGOs and UN agencies who could scale up.

But the real question is who will provide Primary Health, who will provide education?

I do believe education is a top priority in Gaza.

We have seen that through the online registration, there is a first for education.

Beside the Ministry of Education of the PA and UNWA, there is no UN agency.

Yes to that.

We have UNICEF, UNESCO, they are technical advisers.

They are not direct provider of education services.

So again, we can be replaced, but we can be replaced by functioning public institution and the only other.

Question with that Rita, sorry on on the if you've seen an increase in injuries or?

The No, not on people injured or people killed, but we have seen an increased number of incident relate involving intimidation, bullying, pressure, staff being called to go to the police station or to to go for long investigation, being asked how come we are working for an terrorist organisation.

So I would say since these laws are in place, there is much more anxiety within our staff and the absence of the international staff does not really help because we cannot help to mitigate this kind of situation in situ.

OK, let me go to the platform.

We've got Associated Press and other ones in BBC and start with Associated Press Jamie Keaton.

Thank you, Mr Lazarani, for coming to see us.

I wanted to, I'm not quite sure that my 2 colleagues got a really clear answer from you about whether or not you're seeing any difference in this push from Israel to try to revert it to other.

Is there a little bit, little bit fragment another way, some of the major United Nations organisations that provide aid for for for into into into the region are the are are funded by the United States, which is of course a great ally of the of Israel.

So are you seeing any political pressure being put upon any, any agencies on sorry, have any agencies faced any political pressure via Israel or by the United States to, to try to, to, to move away from Unruh?

And if I could just slide in another one about the funding in general.

I recall that you had hoped that that the United States might resume its funding this spring.

Of course, the administration has changed since then.

Have you been able to find a significant amount of funding from other, other sources to make up for that loss?

Yeah, on, on the first question, I do not have evidence yet of I would say political there.

There have been political pressure, but I haven't seen yet any agency reading factor to step into the mandate of the agency.

We also keep hearing about different type of plants when it comes to the future of human Gen assistance in the Gaza.

We have also heard about, you know, dividing Gaza in different zone with and, and, and, and basically having the Israeli government being more in control of the the assistance deciding basically who would receive what.

So that would bring this would equate UN agencies as kind of a third party contractor.

And obviously this would also create a question or raise question about how principled the future of the internal assistance could be in Gaza.

So the pressure are not new per SE, but there is a clear understanding within the UN that another agency cannot step in, in the absence of a mandate provided by the GA regarding the US funding.

[Other language spoken]

I was hopeful that the funding might resume.

It's clearly not the case.

The funding landscape has completely changed, not only for UNRWA, but for the entire humanitarian and development community.

I think colleagues sitting here in Geneva very, very well aware about about this.

Now, I would say the alternative for an agency like ours, one we continue to have a strong support from Europe and #2 if we want the agency to survive, we need to have the agency within the political framework.

The political framework is the one being proposed by the Arab countries, which would also mean that if this framework is adopted in the future and being the one being implemented, I would also expect increased contribution from this part of the world.

Thank you very much.

Let's go to another one, see the Turkish news agency.

Mohammed, thank you so much.

Alessandra, thank you for this briefings.

My question is at the Arab League summit, a decision adopted to.

[Other language spoken]

Mentioned the topic on your opening remarks, but I would like to hear you more does the United Nations.

Support this plan.

[Other language spoken]

Vote the plan.

Yeah, Short answer, yes, the United Nations support the plan.

The Secretary General was in Cairo during the head of state League of Arab head of state last week.

The UN also together with the World Bank and the European Union has contributed to the damage assessment in the Gaza stripper.

We talk about a need of $54 billion for to found this this plan.

Now when it comes to an agency like ours, we would certainly not play the same role we used to play in the past.

And while cannot be involved in rebuilding houses, the entire neighbourhood in the camp, but we will primarily focus on rehabilitating our schools and our health centre.

And then we will also primary focus on what I would call the software, meaning the education and Primary Health part of the agency.

Thank you very much, Imogen folks.

BBC Uh, hello Mr Lazarini, thanks for taking my question.

I wonder if you could kind of let us know your thoughts on the blockade.

What's it actually about?

We've just heard while you've been talking, the ICRC has put out a statement also warning of a really deteriorating humanitarian situation.

Is this blockade, is it designed to encourage other humanitarian agencies to step in?

Is it maybe to show a sign that there's no point returning at all to northern Gaza?

I mean, obviously, you're aware that there have been other proposals, notably from the United States, about what a future Gaza could look like and look like and who might live there.

[Other language spoken]

I don't know what the real intent is, but whatever the intent is, it's clearly a weaponization of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

If you block all the entry point, you create a situation of where you use basic humanitarian assistance and food as an instrument to achieve a political goal or military goal which is contrary to any international humanitarian norm.

So I think the intention we will know certainly in, in, in, in the coming days or coming weeks.

We we hear in the media that it has a political intent.

Will it achieve it or not?

No one really knows at this stage.

But basically we are back to a situation which prevailed at the beginning of the war when there was a total siege imposed on the Gaza and we have seen the situation deteriorating very, very quickly.

That's about the Gaza.

On the electricity, OK, So just to correct one point, because I said the electricity might not have such a big impact.

And basically I'm reminded that it will reduce significantly the availability of drinking water.

And basically the Desalina Tion plant, which benefit from this electricity was producing drinking water for 600,000 people.

So that would be a direct impact on the population.

Thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

Dina, you are can you whom you are doing this.

Thank you, CBTN.

[Other language spoken]

Thanks for the opportunity.

My question is about Syria and Lebanon.

How your programme in both countries are affected with the financial crisis and concerning Syria, with the huge political changes we have seen in the last three months, how is the situation there for Anurwa and are you cooperating with the new government?

[Other language spoken]

You know, the, the financial situation has eroded our services now for some time and they have eroded services in the context of of Lebanon.

There is absolutely no doubt talking about Lebanon.

We just made a study indicating that the main source of income for 70% of the Palestinian refugees is a cash distribution of the agency.

Now our financial situation is such that we sometimes have to skip a cycle of distribution.

It has also an impact on other type of services such as the hospitalisation cost in Lebanon.

But it had also an impact on education because we could not recruit more teacher or open more classes, but we had to increase the number of kids in existing classes.

When it comes to Syria, I haven't been yet to Syria.

Intended to go, couldn't go, will go very soon.

For the time being, we are not the we.

We have not been really impacted by the overall situation.

Activities are being run as they used to be run.

The primary problem we're confronted with in Syria is also of financial nature.

Can we take another question or two?

[Other language spoken]

Isabel Sacco, FA Spanish News Agency.

[Other language spoken]

Do you believe that the idea?

Sorry, yes.

Do you think that the idea put forward by Israel weeks ago of transferring Palestinian to third countries has been really put aside by the government?

Do you or do you think that it could re emerge at some point?

And in relation to this, given the international geopolitical situation and the resources that Europe, you mentioned Europe as a a group of countries that you would like to to see come with more funds.

But now the European Europeans are more worried, concerned by the resources going to to defence.

So in that sense, do you think that it would be really possible possible to make Gaza a place where life is possible?

That's a very good question.

Live in Gaza was has been unbearable for some time already before October 2023 but became **** after October 2023.

And when you see the how devastated the Gaza Strip is, I do believe it's definitely a legitimate question.

But Gaza is, you know, where the Gazan come from, and that's their land, and they see their future in their own land.

So the question is, how do we make Gaza livable again?

Basically, are the plan to transfer people outside?

No, they are never completely outside.

They bump up there are certainly member in the government who basically hope that such a plan or agenda be implemented or fully implemented.

But we all know what that would mean.

[Other language spoken]

False transfer is cleansing an ethnic an ethnic cleansing of a population.

So I really hope that what has been now.

Proposed by the Arab state, endorsed by the Arab League, endorsed by the OSC, will become the alternative plan, because through this plan that means also we keep the unity of the future of a Palestinian state.

I'll take your last question there.

Can you please introduce yourself?

[Other language spoken]

Yes, thank you very much.

[Other language spoken]

Give us your observation of how the Palestinian people are affected by the Israel is doing in in the region, given the fact that there is a blockade of humanitarian aid in Gaza, an intensified campaign aiming at the annexation of the West Bank, and then also there is a violation of the ceasefire in Lebanon and then also de facto annexes in a large part of southern Syria.

[Other language spoken]

Don't understand everything of your question, but yes, but basically your question is about how the Swahili military operation are impacting the Palestinian across the region, correct?

Yeah, You know with the the I described what's what's going on in the West Banker, we have seen one of the longest security operation taking place since the second Intifada.

We have seen the largest displacement of population since 1967.

What's being what's unfolding in the West Banker is unfortunately completely overshadowed by the situation in Gaza or elsewhere.

But it's a extraordinary worrisome situation.

We have also, by by any account, by the means being involved for this security operation.

We have seen for the first time since the Sukhani Intifada tanks reappearing in refugee camps, for example.

So and then I describe about Gaza.

When it comes to Lebanon, the Palestinian refugees have not been the most affected by the war acceptor that they suffer of their unique situation, their socio economic situation, because they are not integrated in the economy.

Neverland and the the Palestinian refugees have basically no real alternative besides an agency like ours and they are highly reliant.

When it comes to Syria, the Palestinian refugees have not really been central in any of the development we have observed over the last few months.

We have been more in the periphery and that's the reason why our operation have basically continued almost uninterrupted.

Thank you very, very much.

Let's conclude here and give you a little bit of rest after this very intense afternoon.

I'd like to thank everyone for having followed this press conference and above all, Commissioner General Lazzarini for coming and briefing the Geneva press.

Please, Philip, come back again anytime.

We will be happy to have you here.

Thank you very much to everyone, and have a nice evening.

[Other language spoken]

UNRWA Press conference: Update on operations - 10 March 2025