BEIRUT: The head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Wednesday said there are no safe places in besieged Gaza for civilians including the UN shelters.
Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) during an interview with Western media said since the start of Israel-Hamas war, more than 80 UN facilities in the Gaza Strip have been targeted.
According to Gaza health ministry Israel since October 7, has carried out a relentless bombardment and a ground offensive in Gaza that has killed more than 16,200 people, most of them women and children.
The situation in Gaza remains dire, with hundreds of thousands of civilians fleeing southward, facing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.
UN facilities directly or indirectly targeted in Gaza
Lazzarini said that the UN facilities directly or indirectly targeted in Gaza including shelter sites for civilians.
He strongly condemned such strikes terming it blatant disregard of UN premises adding that it will require an independent investigation in the future.
According to the UN some 1.87 million Palestinians, over 80 percent of Gaza’s population, have left their homes. Lazzarini said the UN-run shelters house more than 1 million displaced people of Gaza.
READ ALSO: Russian President Putin Meets Saudi Crown Prince in Riyadh: SPA
The UN official said UNRWA is aiming on improving conditions in existing shelters, including its schools’ network across Gaza.
He said the UN body does not want to put the people in places which are not safer.
Lazzarini stressed for a new cease-fire and for opening more border crossings to allow aid to enter Gaza. Currently, aid can only come into the Gaza strip from Egypt via the Rafah border crossing.
