UNRWA says an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza is a must

JERUSALEM: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has urgently called for an immediate and humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, emphasizing the need for aid flow without preconditions for political negotiations. Speaking at a press conference, UNRWA spokesperson Tamara Al-Rifai expressed deep concern about the grave situation in Gaza, stating, "It is extremely tragic that politics stand in the way of 2.2 million people's survival in Gaza." Al-Rifai stressed the "crucial necessity for an immediate and humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, along with the unimpeded flow of aid, without setting conditions for political negotiations." Earlier, the UNRWA Gaza operations director reported that Israeli occupation authorities issued additional evacuation orders for residents in the central Gaza Strip to relocate to Deir al-Balah. Over 150,000 individuals are estimated to be affected by the decision, particularly concerning given the area's existing high population density, includi ng UNRWA-run shelters. Highlighting the plight of the people of Gaza, Al-Rifai underscored that these people "are not pawns in a chess game, having been displaced multiple times... There are no safe havens and nowhere for them to go." Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA