The United Nations Office at Geneva
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UNRWA – Press conference: Philippe Lazzarini
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44:20
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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 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 and I underline the few.
Thank you, Mr Lesagini, Commissioner General.
OK, good.
Good morning, good afternoon.
And first of all, yes, I apologise for the yes.
OK.
So first of all, I apologise for the delay.
I had a longer Member State briefing than expected this morning.
But I suggest to do now is maybe just to share one or two latest development 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 Coloniser report and maybe also a little update on the OIUS report.
When when it comes to the situation on the ground.
I mean, basically our colleagues are telling us that there is a extraordinary deep anxiety prevailing right now in Gaza because the question everybody ask is whether yes or not there will be a military offensive.
And the likelihood of a military offensive will all depends 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 Rafa, but there is a sense that if there is no deal of 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 anymore about PTSD, but we are more talking about the CTSD, which would mean constant traumatic stress disorder prevailing in the Gaza stripper.
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, there's a 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 is still does that mean that the food is accessible just because there is absolutely no cash circulating in the northern part of the Gaza stripper?
We believe that much more needs to be done.
It is true that they have been more supply entering during the months of Apron, but this is still far from enough to reserve to 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 to COGATA and the United Nation.
On one hand, the Israeli saying what we are providing all the necessary food.
The problem is, is on the side of the United Nation.
Let me just give you few facts regarding this.
First, this is not true and this is not our reading.
Look at starting with Anwar.
Whenever we ask for a convoy going from the South to 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 in together.
We have this system of offloading, downloading, offloading, downloading the tracks, which makes things extraordinary difficult.
And so 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, the many times a week we have also the crossing being closed because they're just dumping detainee released to detainees or dumping sometimes bodies who have been, who have been taken to Israel and back to the Gaza Strip.
Now talking about the 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, On War was released such a reporter.
In my meeting this morning, I have reminded that of course, hostages are still in activity 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 Gazan detained by the Israeli security forces.
The report you have seen recently has been based on the number of testimonies collected by the agency.
Why by the agency?
Because we are at the crossing, we are at Karem Shalom, because we are mining the main logistical hub at the entry of Gaza.
And these people basically have been released at this place.
And according to the testing 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 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, water boarding, water boarding, severe beatings, attacked by dogs, being forced to hold stress position for hours, sometimes 12 hours, 24 hours and being forced to wear diaper instead of accessing the toilet.
And among the detainees will have been released.
We had also a number of UNWA staff and they have also reported to us that while on the interrogation, they were asked a lot of question about the walk with UNWA and basically also being pressured to state that the agency is politically affiliated in the Gaza Strip.
This morning I have also highlighted the factor 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 6-7 months in, in, in, 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 member now who have been killed, more than 160 premises which have been damaged or totally destroyed.
And most of these premises were sheltering A displaced people and more than 400 people have been killed in this 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 underneath some of our premises.
And basically I was calling the Member State 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 investigate, independent investigation to look into this blatant disregard of the United Nation 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 OIOS report.
But in fact, we have been briefed by Stefan Duragic, I think on, on, on on Friday.
Just to reiterate what he has said, we started with 12 allegation conveyed already to me.
Then I submitted after that to OIOS.
Later on, OIOS received seven additional allegation 5 + 2, five in March and two in April.
Out of the 19, one 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 Catherine 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 but obviously we can do more and there there is a number of recommendation that 50 yes, this is a body language right now that the Secretary General and myself committed now to implement.
You have seen the eight category.
She has looked into it.
We have published last week already 4 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 to be shared.
Now we will have 4 category of recommendation.
One, the recommendation for which the agency has already taken step and we have just to wait to align them with the recommendation of the reporter.
We have additional recommendation which we consider a quick fix and can be implemented.
Then we have recommendation which require additional resource within the organisation and lastly we will have recommendation also which will require the support of Member States or host a country.
We committed to report back on the regular need on the 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 allegation have been made public, up to 16 countries suspended the contribution to the agency.
The good news is that to as of today, most of the agent 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 being 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 UNAWA and we still with 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 115,000,000 U.S.
dollar in private fundraising, which is an indication also of the extraordinary grassroots solidarity express towards Palestinian and also to the agency.
Let me just to conclude with one or two comment.
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 Banker, 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 Palestinian from the refugee status.
And basically we keep hearing UNAWA is part of the problem because it perpetuates the refugee status.
It's as if you say that a Newman turned response in a conflict that perpetuates to conflict.
What perpetrates the conflict is the absence of a political solution.
So I told Member States that that more than ever, the lasting temporary agencies 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, Alexander, I will maybe stop here and take a question.
And there are many Commissioner General Edzarini and I will start with Yuriya Prelev, who is our correspondent of Irenavosti, and also the President, the new President, Philip, of the Association of Journalists here in Geneva.
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OK, so I'll, I'll now go to Benjamin Lee, who is our correspondent of the French speaking Swiss radio.
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It's about the other question, an important one.
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Switch back to English.
Jamie Kitten.
Associated Press.
Thank you, Mr Lazarina, for coming to see us.
Just wanted to follow up on that a little bit.
Just to be clear.
So there's not any change in your timetable for the continued operations of UNRWA through June, even though you've gotten this 115 more than $115 million, that hasn't changed your your timeline for for operations.
Just wanted to be clear on that.
The second question just has to do with you mentioned that 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 OSOIOS report to actually resume?
I mean, is that the condition that they've told you?
Thank you.
Yes, thank you.
We, we, 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, contributor for of $128 million being the USI talk about this part of the budget.
The rest is related to the emergency appeal, either the emergency appeal for the OPT, which includes obviously Gaza for which we have called now 1.2 billion U.S.
dollar and also the appeal on the Syria crisis, which covers also the human turn 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'm confident in until the end of June because I know that June is now completely bridged.
I have information about July.
It's not completely bridged.
If you ask are you confident or not, I would say in during the last four years, I have rarely had more visibility than two or three months.
I'm used now to, to, to, to have to deal with extraordinary unsettling financial environment and situation.
So based on recent experience, based on the fact that most of the donor now have come back and most of the donor clearly indicated that the review and the Katherine Colonel report will be the basis for their decision, not the way that I'm aware of.
Thank you very much I'll.
Go to Let's make a comment because it's important.
The Catherine Kolona report is all about the system and policies and the agency OIOS.
It's about individual behaviour and the individual behaviour does not mean that there is a systemic issue.
So Catherine Kolona was on the systemic, OIOS on the individual.
OK.
But just to follow up on that, I mean the reason the 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 flow or not?
Thank you very much.
Let's go now to Imogen folks, our correspondent of BBC.
Imogen.
Hi, thanks.
For.
Taking my question, this is actually about this floating bridge that the Americans are are building.
Into into Gaza.
To bring aid in 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 number of concern expressed by UN agency about the motus motus operandi.
Once where the peer is in place and how the assistance will arrive will be manned, will be handled at the peer.
We had last week the head of the security who came also to make an assessment.
We have submitted a number of recommendation in order to address our concern.
And my understanding is that this ongoing discussion and once our concern are addressed, I mean this will be an additional entry point.
As you know, we keep also saying that the maritime corridor or air dropping cannot and should not be alternative to the main entry in together being the land crossing.
Indeed, Christian Richt from the German news agency had a question.
Thank you, Mr Lazzarini.
I'm getting lost in the figures that floating around now.
Can you tell us how many countries?
Have still suspended What sum of money?
What some What 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 who I mean first the United States, 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 the what's going on here in Switzerland.
So this 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 or since the new government is in place.
So since 2023 they have not contributed to the agency.
I don't know what the UK intended to contribute.
You know they have been, they were top donor 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 GDPI don't know exactly what the intent was for this year, so I have to look back to what they contributed in 2023 to have an estimate.
But for the US, we are talking about 180 million U.S.
dollar.
Can we take a couple?
Of more questions.
OK, sorry I was just checking because I think at certain point we will have to stop.
But I'll, I'll give the floor to Dina Abisab.
Dina, can you introduce yourself please?
Thank you, Alessandra.
I'm Dina Abisab.
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 and your reports any killing of detainees?
And any.
Sexual violence and ****.
Thank you.
Thank you.
What what we have reported, basically it's what I have shared with you before.
So the short answer is no, no other mistreatment or torture.
And then the one I have described, how many detainees I don't know, I can tell you how many have been released through the Karim Shalom crossing and there have been more than thousand over the last few months.
Thank you very much.
Now a little bit.
She was waiting.
She's been waiting for a long time.
Louisa Berlin from the Global Geneva magazine.
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Working.
Thank you.
Merci, Alessandra.
Parliamente the personality.
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Thank you very much.
I'll take a last question from the correspondent.
Of.
Thank you very much.
My name is Satoko Adaji.
I work for yummy symbol.
I just want to follow up the the peer that the US military is currently constructing in terms of aid distribution will only be involved in this.
And then also secondly, you said that the Israeli authorities have denied only to deliver food aid to the north.
So the last time I was able to deliver the food aid was January 23rd.
So since then you were denied and and then also about when was the last time you are allowed to enter Gaza?
Because I saw the news that you are also denied to enter.
The Gaza, thank you.
Thank you.
I, I plan to go to Gaza someday, so I hope it will be allowed to go together, but I don't have a final answer for the time being when it comes to the PR.
Basically we have, you know, we, we, we are dividing responsibility within the UN system.
UNRWA is manning the logistic at Curamsulum and in Rafa and we have the the logistic cluster which is supported by Dubrefp which will be manning the entry point in at Eretz when Eretz becomes operational and also at the pier on behalf of the UN 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 are 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.
So yeah, I have to for the person who asked the how much funding is still suspended to the agency.
The estimated when we say suspended, it's money we were aware which was committed and which remains suspended for the agency.
The total amount is 267,000,000 U.S.
dollar.
The bulk of it comes from the US and I'm trying to read.
Trying to answer your questions.
OK.
Yeah, Yeah.
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 Ladzarini, for this 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.
Thank you.
Bon appetit.