269 UNRWA staff killed in Gaza, according to UN

Since the beginning of Israel’s military operation in the Gaza Strip, 269 staff members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) have been killed, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a closed press briefing following a United Nations Security Council session.

Lazzarini stated that within less than two weeks, a new Israeli law passed by the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) will come into effect, demanding the cessation of UNRWA operations in Palestinian territories. He warned that halting the agency’s activities would further exacerbate the already dire living conditions of Palestinians.

The UNRWA commissioner-general also noted that Israel is conducting a global disinformation campaign, applying significant diplomatic pressure on the agency. He pointed out that billboards accusing UNRWA of terrorism have appeared in cities such as New York, and that the Israeli Foreign Ministry has reportedly spent $150 million on such propaganda efforts.