UNRWA Chief: Gaza Has Become a “Hell in All Shapes”

Photo: Abdel Kareem Hana / AP via NPR

UNICEF has warned that more than two million people in Gaza, especially children, are facing severe food shortages, calling debates over the level of hunger “obscene.”

Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s Executive Director, told CBS on Sunday, August 24, “Children in Gaza are dying, and the time for debate and delay is over.”

According to her, since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, nearly 18,000 children have been killed, while many more are suffering from psychological trauma and severe food shortages.

UNICEF stressed that food aid deliveries are continuing, with efforts to provide essential items such as baby formula and child nutrition supplies to those in need. The agency once again called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and full access for journalists and aid organizations to Gaza.

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), also warned that famine is the latest catastrophe facing the people of Gaza and that the territory has now become a “hell in all shapes.”

In a message, he wrote that the slogan “Never Again,” tied to Holocaust remembrance, is being repeated today as the world remains silent in the face of Palestinian suffering. He added: “Every hour counts; open the gates and implement a ceasefire now.”

The UN official also called on Israel to abandon narratives of denial, to allow international journalists and humanitarian organizations entry, and to permit the immediate delivery of aid.

These warnings come as Israel’s Defense Minister announced that military operations will continue, and if Hamas does not accept Israel’s conditions, Gaza City’s center will be destroyed.