Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of UNRWA, has accused Israel of killing more than 800 starving Palestinians in Gaza, stating that civilians were shot while attempting to access food amid a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.

Lazzarini warned that the dismantling of coordinated aid systems has been replaced by what he called a “deadly scam”, one designed not to help, but to pressure civilians into displacement and deepen collective punishment. He stressed that over 6,000 UNRWA trucks loaded with essential food and medicine have been waiting for clearance into Gaza for more than four months, with many supplies now nearing expiration.

He rejected unsubstantiated claims that aid is being diverted to Palestinian factions, noting that such allegations have never been formally raised or supported by evidence in diplomatic or operational settings.

Lazzarini reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire, the lifting of the blockade, and full humanitarian access, warning that failure to act would only accelerate Gaza’s descent into famine and disease.

His statement came as Israeli forces launched yet another deadly attack on civilians queuing for aid in northern Rafah. At least 27 people were killed and 180 wounded when the army shelled the Al-Shakoush aid distribution area. Hospitals, already overwhelmed and under-equipped, struggled to treat the wounded as bodies lined the streets.

In Gaza, hunger has become a death sentence, not from lack of food, but from the brutal violence that now greets those seeking it.