UNRWA denounces the aid distribution system imposed by Israel and the United States in Gaza as degrading and life-threatening, calling for the blockade’s end and safe, large-scale humanitarian access to prevent mass starvation.

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The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has sharply condemned the humanitarian aid system imposed by Israel and the United States in Gaza. Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, described the current aid distribution as a “death trap” that forces thousands of starving people to walk tens of kilometers to reach food centers, exposing them to extreme risks.

A Humanitarian Crisis Worsened by Blockade and Restrictive Aid Policies

Since October 2023, Gaza has endured a devastating humanitarian crisis with over 55,000 deaths reported. The blockade enforced by Israel, supported tacitly by U.S. policies, restricts the flow of essential goods and humanitarian aid, aggravating famine and suffering. Lazzarini emphasized that the current system “does not address the famine” and is “extremely degrading, humiliating and puts lives at risk,” likening the situation to a dystopian scenario reminiscent of the “Hunger Games.”

UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma echoed these concerns, stating that the current aid distribution model “is tantamount to inviting people to their deaths.” She stressed that the only viable solution is to allow the United Nations, including UNRWA, to deliver aid “on a large scale and safely” throughout Gaza.

Lazzarini’s urgent appeal calls on Israel to lift the blockade and permit the UN unrestricted, safe access to Gaza to distribute aid effectively. Without this, the risk of mass starvation looms large, threatening up to a million children in the enclave.

#Gaza, another day of aid distribution another day of death traps.

Day after day, casualties & scores of injured are reported at distribution points manned by Israel & private security companies.

This humiliating system continues to force thousands of hungry & desperate people…

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) June 10, 2025

The UN’s Experience and Capacity to Provide Aid

UNRWA insists that the United Nations possesses the “knowledge, experience, and trust of the community” necessary to manage humanitarian aid in Gaza effectively and humanely. The agency’s decades-long presence in the region equips it to handle large-scale assistance programs that prioritize the safety and dignity of the Palestinian people.

The current system, imposed by Israeli and U.S. authorities, is criticized for politicizing aid and using it as a tool of control rather than relief. This approach not only deepens the humanitarian crisis but also violates international humanitarian law and the principles of impartiality and neutrality.

The so called new way of handling assistance in #Gaza is most degrading, humiliating & puts lives in danger.
This “model” will not address the deepening hunger.

The dystopian “Hunger Games” cannot become the new reality.

The UN including @UNRWA have the knowledge, expertise… https://t.co/jGFwQQeKg9

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) June 12, 2025

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