The United Nations Office at Geneva
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UNRWA – Press conference: Philippe Lazzarini
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STORY: Update situation in the OPT - UNRWA
TRT: 2:41”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 30 April 2024 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Exterior med shot: UN flag alley
- Wide shot: Speaker at the podium during press conference with journalists
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UNRWA: “We believe that that much more needs to be done. It is true that there have been more supply entering during the months of April, but this is still far from enough to reverse the negative trend we have seen.”
- Wide shot: Speakers at the podium, with photographers and journalists in the room
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UNRWA: “Hostages are still in captivity with the Hamas and that both, the Secretary-General, myself but other UN officials keep asking for the unconditional and immediate release of the hostages. But I have also shared this morning our deep concern regarding the Gazans detained by Israeli security forces.”
- Med shot: speakers at the podium with journalists in room
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UNRWA: “People have told us that they are routinely rounded up when they were arrested, they were routinely rounded up, stripped to the underwear and loaded into trucks, blindfolded and bombed. Most of the time, once arrested, these detainees, remain incommunicado and they are subjected to shocking, inhuman treatment. Among the inhuman treatment they have described to us waterboarding, severe beatings, attacked by dogs.”
- Med shot: Journalists in the press room
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UNRWA: “Up to sixteen countries suspended the contribution to the Agency (UNRWA). The good news is that, as of today, most of the donor countries have resumed their contribution to the Agency. We just have a hand full of country who still need to take a decision. We know that the main contributor, the US, has indicated that they will not be able to support the Agency before March 2025.”
- Med shot, journalist listening in press briefing
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General, UNRWA: “If really today there is a genuine commitment to reactivate and bring back the two- state solution on the table, the Agency can retrieve its temporary nature and supporting the transition leading to the two- state solution, the transition leading to the day after.”
- Med shot, cameraman filming with speaker on screen
- Wide shot, cameramen filming with journalist listening
Gaza: more aid needed urgently to prevent a worsening famine trend, says UNRWA chief
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) warns that much more assistance to Palestinians in Gaza is necessary to prevent a worsening famine trend, despite some recent improvements in the flow of aid.
“We believe that that much more needs to be done. It is true that there have been more supply entering during the months of April, but this is still far from enough to reverse the negative trend we have seen,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.
Highlighting the urgency of the situation, Mr. Lazzarini described the efforts to combat hunger as "a race against the clock," particularly in northern Gaza. He noted that although food is available in local markets, accessibility remains a challenge due to the lack of circulating cash in the region.
Mr. Lazzarini also addressed ongoing concerns about the Israeli hostages held by Hamas and Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody, stressing the need for their unconditional and immediate release.
“Hostages are still in captivity with the Hamas and that […] the Secretary-General, [me and] other UN officials keep asking for the unconditional and immediate release of the hostages,” Mr. Lazzarini said. “But I have also shared our deep concern regarding the Gazans detained by Israeli security forces,” he added.
According to testimonies received by UNRWA,Palestinian detainees often face severe mistreatment. “People have told us that they are routinely rounded up when they were arrested, […] stripped to the underwear and loaded into trucks, blindfolded and bombed,” Mr. Lazzarini reported. “Most of the time, once arrested, these detainees remain incommunicado and they are subjected to shocking, inhuman treatment. Among the inhuman treatment they have described to us waterboarding, severe beatings, attacked by dogs,” he added.
The fear of an Israeli attack into Rafah, the southern part of the Gaza strip, adds to the constant state of trauma among the people there, Mr. Lazzarini reported.
Regarding UNRWA's funding crisis, Mr. Lazzarini revealed that sixteen countries suspended contributions to the agency, but most have since resumed their support. “Up to sixteen countries suspended the contribution to the Agency (UNRWA). The good news is that, as of today, most of the donor countries have resumed their contribution to the Agency. We just have a handful of countries who still need to take a decision. We know that the main contributor, the US, has indicated that they will not be able to support the Agency before March 2025,” Mr. Lazzarini said.
Despite challenges, UNRWA has secured USD 115 million in private funding and received contributions from previously non-contributing countries, ensuring its humanitarian operations can continue until June.
Following allegations against some UNRWA staff in the Hamas attack of 7 October, some donor countries withheld funds from the agency. However, an independent review led by the former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna, to assess whether UNRWA is doing everything within its power to ensure neutrality, found UNRWA’s procedures to be robust.
UNRWA remains the largest humanitarian organization in besieged Gaza, providing the backbone to aid operations in the enclave, where over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, according to authorities. The Commissioner-General asserted that if the political will exists to reactivate and pursue a two-state solution, UNRWA could once again regain its vocation as a temporary aid agency. In such a context, the agency could also play a vital role in the transition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, he said.
“If really today there is a genuine commitment to reactivate and bring back the two-state solution on the table, the agency can retrieve its temporary nature and supporting the transition leading to the two- state solution, the transition leading to the day after,” Mr. Lazzarini said.
-ends-
Teleprompter
Let's start. First of all, sorry for the delay.
Mr.
Lazzarini was
in another meeting,
and I'd like to thank you all very much for being here for this press conference
of the
Commissioner General. Mr.
Philippe Lazzarini doesn't need any introduction, Of course,
but I'd like to thank you very much for being here to listen
to his update on the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory in Gaza.
And I'll give him the floor immediately for his initial remarks.
And then we will take a few questions. I underline a few. Thank you,
Mr
Commissioner. General.
Ok, good. Um, good morning. Good afternoon.
And first of all, yes, I apologise for that.
Yes.
OK,
so first of all, I apologise for the delay.
I had a longer member state briefing than expected this morning.
What I suggest to do now is maybe just to share one or two latest developments
on the ground,
but also to share with you some of the messages I have shared with the member states
and also to comment on
the review to
Catherine Corona's
report
and maybe also a little update on the O
report
when it comes
to the situation on the ground.
I
mean, basically, our
colleagues are telling us that
there is an
extraordinary deep anxiety prevailing right now in Gaza,
because the question
everybody asks is whether yes or not, there will be a military offensive
and the likelihood of a military offences will all depend
whether or not a ceasefire deal will be reached this week
just to let you know that people have not yet been asked to evacuate from
Rafah.
But there is a sense
that if there is no deal this week that this can happen
at any time. My colleague on the ground are also describing
basically a
constant,
I would say a constant state of trauma among the people and basically
they came with a new acronym we are not talking any more about.
But we are more talking about the
which would mean constant traumatic stress disorder preventing in the Gaza Strip,
and obviously this is not too surprising.
This morning, I commented also on the latest development
in the north, where we are engaged in a race against the clock to reverse in fact,
the spreading hunger and the looming famine, especially
in the northern part.
The good news is that my colleagues have reported that there is more food available
in the market, so increased
availability.
But
it still does not mean that the food is accessible.
Just because there is absolutely no cash circulating
in the north
of the Gaza Strip, we believe that much more needs to be done.
It is true that there have been
more supply entering during the months of April,
but this is still far from enough to reserve
to reverse the negative trend we have seen.
I have also mentioned this morning when I met the member states,
the issue about
the blame game you might have heard between the Israeli
authority, many the
Kat and the United Nations. On the one hand, the Israeli
saying What we are providing all the necessary food.
The problem is on the side of the United Nations. Let me just
give you a few facts regarding this first. This is not true. This is not our reading.
Look at
starting with UNA
Whenever we ask for a convoy
going from the south to the north,
our convoys are systematically denied, so we still have no access
whenever permission is given to deliver
anywhere else
in the strip. The process is always
complicated
and very
cumbersome.
When it comes to enter into Gaza,
we have this system of offloading, downloading, offloading,
downloading the tractor, which makes things extraordinary.
Difficult. Also,
we have operating hours of the crossing which vary from one day to another one
with limited number of hours where we can operate
and most of the time,
many times a week.
We have all the crossing being closed because they are just dumping
released detainees or dumping sometimes bodies who have been who
have been taken to Israel and back to the Gaza Strip.
Talking about the detainees,
I have also briefed the member state about
the report we have issued about a week ago.
It was the first time that in fact
has released such a report. In my meeting this morning,
I have reminded that of course hostages are still in activity with Hamas
and that both the secretary general myself.
But other UN officers keep asking for the
unconditional and immediate release of the hostages.
But
I have also shared this morning our deep concern
regarding the Gazan detained by the Israeli security forces.
The report you have seen
recently has been based
on a number of testimonies collected by the agency. Why by the agency.
Because we are at the crossing. We are at Karem
Sharon
because we are manning the main logistical
at the entry of Gaza
and these people basically have been released at
this place
and according to the
testimonies that we have collected,
people have told us that they are routinely rounded up. When they were arrested,
they were routinely rounded up,
stripped to their underwear and loaded into trucks, blindfolded and bombed
most of the time. Once arrested, these detainees remain incommunicado
and they are subjected to shocking,
inhuman
treatment
among the
inhuman treatment
they have described to us.
Waterboarding, waterboarding, severe
bes attacked by dogs, being forced to hold the stress position for our
sometimes 12 hours 24 hours and being forced to wear diapers instead of accessing
the toilet.
And among the detainees who have been released, we had also a number of
staff
and they have also reported to us
that while on the interrogation, they were asked a lot of questions about the war
with UN W
A
and basically also being pressured to state
that the agency is politically affiliated
in the Gaza Strip
this morning. I have also
highlighted the fact
that, as you know, the agency is under a lot of strain.
They are called for the agency to be dismantled.
But the agency also has been targeted over the last 67 months in Gaza
where both our staff but also our premises
as well as our operation.
I just reminded that since the beginning of the war we have 182 staff
members now who have been killed more than 160 premises which have been damaged
or totally destroyed.
And most of these premises were sheltering displaced people and
more than 400 people have been killed in these premises.
We have also seen that whenever we vacated premises
mainly in the north of the Gaza Strip,
they have been then used for military
purposes.
We have
also heard
about the allegation regarding tunnel
on
some of our premises
and basically
I was calling the member states to make sure that at the end of the war,
once we have a ceasefire,
that we have also
the
that we put in place
an
independent investigation
to look into this blatant disregard of the United Nations in order to avoid that,
this becomes also in the future
the new standard.
I also briefed this morning
about where we stand on the
report,
but in fact we have been briefed by Stefan
Dora,
I
think
on Friday,
just to reiterate what he has said
started with 12 allegations conveyed orally
to me and
I submitted after that to
later on.
O
received seven additional allegations 55 in March and two in April.
Out of the 19, 1 person has been completely cleared and is now reinstated
and four people out of the 19.
The investigation is now on hold because there is no
further or additional information available for the time being.
When it comes to the
Kathrin
Corona
report, you had access already a week
ago.
You have seen that she has
stressed the fact that the agency
has important
and robust
system and mechanism
to deal with neutrality breaches,
that it is in fact above the average in the region.
But obviously
we can do more,
and there is a number of recommendations
that F
yes,
she is a body language right now
that the Secretary General and myself are
committed now to implement.
You have seen the eighth category. She has looked into it.
We have published last week already four pages informing the member states
about our intent and how we will follow up on this recommendation.
And I hope that by mid may we will have a first preliminary action plan to be shared.
Now we will have four categories of recommendation one
the recommendation for which the agency has already taken step
and we have just to align them with the recommendation of the report.
We have additional recommendation, which we can
it a quick fix and can be implemented then
we have recommendations require additional resources within the organisation
and lastly, we will have recommendations also,
which will require the support of member states or host
country.
We are committed to report back on a
on a regular basis on where we stand with this
recommendation,
maybe just to comment on the funding of the situation in January. You remember
that once the allegations have been made public,
up to 16 countries suspended the contribution to the agency.
The good news is that as of today, most of the
donor countries
have resumed their contribution
to the agency. We just have a handful of a country who still need to take a decision.
We know that the main contributor in
the US
has indicated that they will not be able
to support the agency before March 25.
But meanwhile in all member state briefing,
they are recommending other countries
to support
UN
and we still wait otherwise the decision of
other countries, including
the one we are just now
the good news also on the funding
is that we have new donors
or countries who before never contributed to the agency
and I want also to flag
the success
in private fundraising.
In six months, the agency has basically mobilised
more than $115
million
in private fundraising, which
is an indication also of the extraordinary grassroots solidarity
expressed towards Palestinian and also to the agency.
Let me just
conclude with one or two comments. The first one
and I was at the Security Council 10 days ago
and
basically
I reminded the member state
that all the call for the agency to be dismantled
not only in Gaza but also in east Jerusalem and in the West bank
have nothing to do with neutrality. Neutrality issues can be addressed,
but it is all but the objective. Behind it
is clearly to strip the Palestinians from the refugee status.
And basically we keep hearing
UAR
is part of the problem because it perpetuates the refugee status.
It's as if you say
that a human
response in a conflict that perpetuates
the conflict that perpetuates the conflict is the absence of a political
solution.
So I told Member states
that
that more than ever,
the lasting temporary agency that we have been over the last 75 years,
if really, today
there is a genuine commitment to reactivate and bring
back the two state solution on the table,
the agency can retrieve its temporary nature by
supporting the transition leading to the two state solution
the transition leading to a day after.
I think, uh,
I said
I will
maybe stop here, and, uh,
and there are many
Commissioner General Lazzarini
and I will start with Ya
Pref
who is our correspondent of Iran
Novosti
and also the President, the new president
of the Association of Journalists here in
Geneva.
I mean
it well,
to
the
of
no
OK So I'll, uh I'll now go to Benjamin Louis,
who is our correspondent of the French speaking Swiss Radio.
I think you have a news for us, Ben.
The
to
a
me,
I have a list of
context.
Israel
Palestinia
Gaza.
Thank you very much.
I had noted your hand. It's OK now. OK, so let's go to Jeremy.
The system.
Thank you very much.
An important one.
Mercy
Boku
Let's switch back to English. Uh, Jimmy Keaton, Associated Press.
Thank you, Mr Lazzarini for coming to see us.
just wanted to follow up on that a little bit. Um,
just to be clear, So there's not any change in your timetable for the
continued, uh, operations of UNRWA through June.
Even though you've gotten this 115
more than 100 $15 million.
That hasn't changed Your your timeline, Um,
for for operations just wanted to be clear on that.
Um, the second question just has to do with, um you mentioned that, uh,
one person had been reinstated.
that means back to work. I mean, just could you clarify that? And
is it your understanding that the donors who have suspended their
funding are waiting for the release of the final OS O I
OS report to actually resume. I mean, is that the condition that they've told you?
Thank you.
Yes, thank you. We have two main stream within the organisation.
We have the core budget which basically covers the salaries of the
30,000 staff of the organisation which most of the time I describe
as our backbone basically.
And
when I talk about the shortfall of the main
contributor of 120 to $180 million being the US
I talk about this part of the budget.
The rest is related to the emergency appeal either The emergency appeal for the
which includes obviously Gaza, for which we have called $1.2
billion
and also the appeal on the Syria crisis, which covers also the
internal assistance in Lebanon and in Jordan.
So
the $120 million that we have raised with the private sector
is primarily money for the Gaza appeal.
So it's not money mobilised for the core budget of the organisation
now, Yes,
I am confident until the end of June because I know that
June is now completely breached.
I have information about July.
It's not completely breached, if you ask.
Are you confident or not?
I would say
during the last four years
I have rarely had
more visibility than two or three months.
I
used to have to deal with an extraordinary, unsettling financial
environment and situation.
So based on recent experience,
based on the fact that most of the donors now have come back
and most of the donor
clearly indicated
that the review and the
Catrine Colonel
report will be the basis for their decision,
not
that I'm aware of
thank you very much
Just make a comment because it's important.
The Kathrine Colonel
report is all about the system
and policies and the agency.
Oyo
is about
individual behaviour
and the individual behaviour does not mean
that there is a systemic issue. So Catherine Corona
was on the systemic
O
on the individual.
OK,
But just to follow up on that I mean, the reason that the
the
funding was suspended was principally in relation to these individual cases.
You are right.
But the follow up concern after that was is there a systemic flaw or not?
Thank you very much. Let's go now to Imogen, folks. Our correspondent of BBC.
Imogen.
Hi. Thanks for taking my question. Um,
this is actually about this, uh, floating bridge that the, um, Americans are, uh,
are building into, uh, into Gaza to bring aid in, uh, Jamie McGoldrick,
the outgoing humanitarian coordinator.
He expressed some concerns about
how that would work. I just wonder how you you assess it.
Yes. There have been a number of concerns expressed by the UN agency
about
the
mo
modus operandi. Once the pier
is in place and how the assistance will arrive will be manned will be handled
at the pier.
We had last week the head of the security who came also
to make an assessment.
We have submitted a number of recommendations in order to address our concern.
And my understanding is that this ongoing discussion
and once our concerns are addressed,
I mean, this will be an additional
entry point.
As you know, we keep saying that
the maritime corridor or air dropping
cannot and should not be alternative to the
main entry into Gaza being the land crossing.
Indeed. Christian
Urich
from the German News Agency
Question
Thank you, Mr
Lazzarini. I'm getting lost in the figures that are floating around. Now,
can you tell us how many countries have still suspended? What sum of money?
What sum did you expect to get in January that has been suspended and has not resumed?
So how much is still lacking? Out of a total of what? Thank you.
The countries,
I
mean, first, the United States,
the United States has clearly indicated that they will keep the freeze
the suspension until March 2025
the UK
because of Congress Prohibition
the UK has not yet taken a decision.
Austria has not yet taken
a decision.
So this and we just heard what's going on here
in Switzerland. So these are the three countries
who are still suspending.
All the other countries
have resumed. Now we hear that Italy has also suspended.
But Italy has not yet contributed to the agency since the new government is in place.
So since 2023
they have not contributed to the agency.
The figures
I don't know what the UK intended to contribute,
you know, they have been
they were top donors a few years ago.
They have significantly decreased when they have
politically taken the decision to decrease their oversight
budget from 0.7 to 0.5 of the
I don't know exactly what the intent was for this year,
so I have to look back to what they contributed in 2020.
Free to have an estimate.
But for the US, we are talking about $180
million.
Can we take a couple of more questions?
OK,
Sorry. Uh, I was just checking because I think a certain point we will have to stop.
But I'll I'll give the floor to Dina Bisa.
Dina, can you introduce yourself, please?
Thank you. Alessandra, I'm Dina Abi
Saab. I'm the representative of different Arabic media.
My question is about the detainees, the Palestinian detainees.
You said that they are facing extreme violence.
What is the number of those detainees? Do you have any figures?
And did you document in your reports any killing of detainees
and any sexual violence and rape? Thank you.
Thank you. Uh, what what?
We have reported Basically, it's what I have shared with you,
uh, before
So the short answer is no, no other.
Uh uh
um mi mi
mistreatment
or torture than the one I have described,
Um
how many detainees? I don't know.
I can tell you how many have been released through the Karem
Shalom crossing.
And there have been more than 1000
over the last few months.
Thank you very much. I'm now a little bit.
Um she was waiting. She's been waiting for a long time. Louisa
Balin from the Global Geneva magazine.
We
can't
hear
you
now. It works.
Thank you.
Thank you very much. I'll take a last question from the correspondent of
Yuri Shimon,
thank you very much. My name is
Satoko
Adasi.
I work for Yim.
Um I just want to follow up that the
pier that the US military is currently constructing,
in terms of aid
distribution,
will uwa
be involved in this
and then also Secondly, you said that the Israeli authorities have denied
UVA to deliver food aid to the north. So, um,
the last time ulua
was able to deliver the food aid was january 23rd. So since then, you are denied
and
and then also about, um when was the last time
you are allowed to enter Gaza? Because I saw the news that you are also denied to enter
Gaza. Thank you.
Thank you, I. I plan to go to Gaza Sunday,
so I hope I will be
allowed to go
to Gaza.
But I don't have a final
answer For the time being,
when it comes to the
P,
basically we have,
you know, we are dividing
responsibility within the UN system.
UN
W
A
is manning the logistic at
Karem
and in
and we have
the logistics cluster
which is supported by
which will be manning the entry point
at
when
becomes operational and also at
the
pier
on behalf of the U
turn system.
It is true
that we did not have any
convoys of
direct convoys from the south to the north.
Having said that,
when we operate
in the north,
we have our staff
helping for the distribution
to the people in need.
And we have also
the necessary premises
where the assistance can be brought in.
I
could
tell
first,
So,
um
yeah, and then after
For the person who asked
how much funding is still suspended to the agency,
the estimated when we say, suspended
its money. We were aware which was committed
and which remains suspended for the agency.
The total amount is $267
million.
The bulk of it comes from the US
and
I'm trying to read
trying to answer your questions,
OK?
I was just reminded that
when it comes to supply
into Gaza,
the most efficient way and the quickest remains the land access.
And this is also the safest way
to bring assistance into Gaza Strip.
Thank you very much. Commissioner General Lazzarini, for these updates today.
It was really important to hear you, especially after
the decision of the Swiss authorities.
Thanks to all for having followed this press conference.
And please come back soon to update us and good luck. Thank you very much.
Thank you.