UNITED NATIONS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- UNRWA, the United Nations agency supporting Palestine refugees, on Wednesday announced an appeal for 1.2 billion U.S. dollars aimed at alleviating the severe humanitarian crisis in the besieged Gaza Strip and the increasingly unstable West Bank.
The funding is aimed at covering humanitarian efforts through the end of the year to support approximately 1.7 million people in devastated Gaza and over 200,000 in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini highlighted the severity of the situation. "The scars of war are seen on a massive scale in Gaza. Meanwhile, violence is increasing in the West Bank," he stated.
"It is critical to support UNRWA in providing lifesaving humanitarian assistance and development services in health and education. The past months proved that there is no replacement or alternative to UNRWA," Lazzarini emphasized.
In Gaza, where the community heavily relies on aid, UNRWA serves as a crucial support system. The agency manages shelters housing over 1 million people, orchestrates food distributions, offers primary healthcare, and oversees logistics for aid delivery. "Two hundred days into the war, the priority now is to bring in much-needed supplies, including food, into Gaza," Lazzarini added. ■
