“UNRWA Chief Warns of ‘Devastating Consequences’ as Israel Pushes to Close Agency Following School Bombing”

The head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has stated that there is a concerted effort to dismantle the agency, particularly following a recent incident where Israeli airstrikes resulted in the deaths of 18 individuals at an UNRWA school in Gaza. Lazzarini emphasized that the closure of UNRWA would have "devastating consequences" for the Palestinian population and called for a thorough investigation into the bombing. In a recent interview, Lazzarini expressed concerns that the Israeli government is actively working to eliminate the agency, especially after failing to convince Western donors to withdraw their financial support. This push is reportedly based on allegations regarding potential connections between UNRWA staff and Hamas.