Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner general of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), demeans any ability for non-combatants to leave Gaza in an opinion piece for the Los Angeles Times on Saturday.
Strikingly, Lazzarini admits to opposing the idea when the Gazans themselves demand it. He writes:
“For many Palestinians, the only option for a better future is to leave Gaza altogether.”
He did not lay blame for a siege-like state on Egypt for shutting the Rafah border crossing. Israel previously promised not to interfere with the opening of it to allow non-combatants to leave Gaza.
GazaPassage is working to ensure Egypt and organizations such as UNRWA, and other nations and organizations around the world help non-combatants leave Gaza for humanitarian purposes.
So far, the UAE and Australia have taken a GazaPassage Pledge to help non-combatants leave Gaza, and many others are considering it.
Lazzarini admits that “Hamas has absolved itself of any responsibility toward the civilian population,” leaving the UN, his parent organization, in charge.
