UNRWA Chief Prohibited From Entering Gaza Again

UNRWA chief said Sunday that Israeli authorities had blocked him from entering Gaza for a second time since the Israel-Hamas war began on October 7.

Philippe Lazzarini tweeted, “Just this week, they have denied — for the second time — my entry to Gaza where I planned to be with our UNRWA colleagues including those on the front lines”, through his official handle ‘X’.

Lazzarini has been to Gaza four times since the war began, notably on March 17.

“The Israeli authorities continue to deny humanitarian access to the United Nations”, Lazzarini noted.

Lazzarini went on to say, “Only in the past two weeks, we have recorded 10 incidents involving shooting at convoys, arrests of UN staff including bullying, stripping them naked, threats with arms & long delays at checkpoints forcing convoys to move during the dark or abort”.

UNRWA chief requested an independent investigation into rocket firing that forced the closure of a critical Israel-Gaza aid crossing.

Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, claimed responsibility for the Sunday launch, claiming militants had targeted Israeli troops near the Kerem Shalom crossing.

Also read: 16 Died In Israel Air Strikes In Rafah, Gaza