Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), warned of the danger of statements by the Israeli government describing some 250,000 civilians trapped in Gaza City and northern Gaza as ‘terrorists or supporters of terrorism.’
Lazzarini considered that such statements carry worrying implications of intentions to commit large-scale massacres against the population.
UNRWA: a stark warning over Israel
In a statement posted on his account on the ‘X’ platform, Lazzarini said “The Israeli statements suggest plans to kill more women, children, the elderly and vulnerable groups who have been unable to flee”, stressing that “no one has a licence to kill civilians under any circumstances”:
Labeling the nearly 250,000 people currently trapped in #Gaza City & the north as “terrorists or terror supporters” by the Government of #Israel is a statement suggesting planned large scale massacres: killing more women, children, elderly & vulnerable people unable to move out.…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) October 2, 2025
The UNRWA Commissioner-General pointed out that the ongoing international crimes in the Gaza Strip cannot continue amid silence or indifference from the international community, noting that the continuation of the current situation without intervention will lead to ‘further collusion with what the UN Commission of Inquiry has already concluded and deemed to be genocide.’
Lazzarini added that the humanitarian situation in the Strip has reached an unprecedented level of deterioration, amid continuing military operations and a shortage of basic supplies of food, medicine and water, stressing that civilians are paying the highest price for this war.
The UN official concluded his remarks with an urgent call to the international community to take immediate action and bring about a ceasefire, saying, ‘The time to act is now. #Ceasefire_now.’
Featured image via the Canary
By Alaa Shamali
They've killed somewhere on the order of 200,000 people so far, over the course of two years of almost unimaginable brutality. They're showing every indication that they're right on the verge of planning to double that in a very short time with an attack on Gaza City. You're not wrong but also this new thing is a very big deal on its own.