Gaza Facing Unprecedented Civilian Bombardment Since WWII: UNRWA

The Gaza Strip is enduring the most intense bombardment of civilians since World War II, according to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

In a statement issued on Friday to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, UNRWA condemned the ongoing military campaign in Gaza as a genocidal war and a continuation of the longest-standing refugee crisis in modern history. The agency expressed alarm over the global community’s failure to deter the escalating violence.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini highlighted the catastrophic impact of the conflict on Gaza’s most vulnerable. In a post on X, he stated that “wars always affect the most vulnerable first,” emphasizing that women and children account for at least 70% of those killed in the conflict.

Lazzarini further revealed that the seven-week military offensive in northern Gaza has displaced over 130,000 people. Many are sheltering in makeshift accommodations, such as abandoned buildings or destroyed shops, while others are left without any shelter at all.

The humanitarian toll is staggering:
– Approximately 50,000 pregnant women and countless breastfeeding mothers face perilous conditions in overcrowded and unsanitary environments.
– Nearly 700,000 women and girls lack access to basic menstrual hygiene products due to severe shortages and skyrocketing prices.
– The cost of soap has increased by an astonishing 1,100%, reflecting the dire scarcity of essential goods.

UNRWA’s statement underscores the desperate need for immediate humanitarian intervention and global solidarity with Gaza’s civilians, who are bearing the brunt of this historic and devastating crisis.