UNRWA Chief Philippe Lazzarini urges an end to Israel’s military incursion into the West Bank, highlighting the devastating impact on Palestinians.
UNRWA Chief Philippe Lazzarini has called for an end to Israel’s ongoing military incursion into the occupied West Bank, warning that the territory “is undergoing an alarming spill over of the Gaza war.”
“The West Bank is becoming a battlefield: ordinary Palestinians are the first & most to suffer. This must end,” the UN agency’s Commissioner-General said on X on Wednesday.
The West Bank is undergoing an alarming spill over of the #Gaza war.
More than 50 people, including children, have been reported killed since the Israeli Forces’ operation started 5 weeks ago.
Destruction of public infrastructure, bulldozing roads and access restrictions are…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) February 26, 2025
“More than 50 people, including children, have been reported killed since the Israeli Forces’ operation started 5 weeks ago,” he noted, adding that the destruction “of public infrastructure, bulldozing roads and access restrictions are common place.”
Lazzarini said that the lives of Palestinians “have been turned upside down, bringing back traumas & loss.”
Some 40,000 Displaced
Around 40,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, especially in refugee camps in the north, he pointed out, with affected camps “in ruins.”
The situation in Jenin is beyond catastrophic.
Thousands have been displaced (likewise in Tulkarem and Tubas) & if families return to the camp to gather some belongings their homes are unrecognisable.
We managed to only see the edges of the camp and tanks are stationed at the… pic.twitter.com/dJCKYQ0eM8
— Mariam Barghouti مريم البرغوثي (@MariamBarghouti) February 26, 2025
“Fear, uncertainty & grief once again prevail,” the UNRWA chief stressed, with many “relying on humanitarian aid at a time when aid agencies are overstretched & severely under-resourced.”
He said patients cannot access healthcare, with many cut off from water, electricity and basic services.
“Our UNRWA teams are tracking displaced people & continue to provide them with much needed food, health care + basics to keep them warm,” Lazzarini stated.
Children Deprived of Education
At the same, more than 5,000 children “who normally go to UNRWA schools have been deprived of education, some for over 10 weeks now.”
37 Days of Aggression: Israel Intensifies Attacks on Jenin, Tulkarm
On January 21, the Israeli army launched a large-scale offensive against cities and refugee camps in the northern West Bank, especially in the governorates of Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas, resulting in the killing of at least 63 Palestinians.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced amid widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure.
Settlement Expansion
A report released by the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Negotiations Affairs Department revealed that 44.5% of the West Bank is now under Israeli control due to settlement expansion and land annexation, the Anadolu news agency reported on Wednesday.
44.5% of the West Bank Under Israeli Control as Settlements Expand – Report
The report, which includes a newly published map, highlights the rapid growth of illegal Israeli Jewish settlements, with five new settlements and 50 outposts established in 2024 alone.
In July last year, the International Court of Justice ruled that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is unlawful and should be brought to an end “as rapidly as possible.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
