The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated on Friday that the Gaza Strip has been subjected to the heaviest bombardment targeting civilians since World War II.
In a statement issued to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, UNRWA highlighted the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, describing the crisis as a continuation of the world’s longest unresolved refugee issue.
The agency expressed grave concern over the lack of international deterrence to the ongoing violence.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini, in a message shared on X, emphasized that “wars always affect the most vulnerable first.”
He noted that at least 70% of those killed in the ongoing war in Gaza are women and children, including young girls.
Lazzarini revealed that the seven-week-long military operation in northern Gaza has displaced over 130,000 individuals. Many now seek refuge in abandoned homes, clinics, or destroyed shops, while some are forced to sleep in the open.
Across Gaza, approximately 50,000 pregnant women and many breastfeeding mothers face dire conditions amid unsanitary environments.
“Menstrual hygiene has become a hardship for most women and girls, with nearly 700,000 unable to access sanitary products due to scarcity or exorbitant costs,” Lazzarini added. The price of basic items like soap has risen by an astounding 1,100%.
