UNRWA chief says Gaza is world’s most dangerous place for journalists and aid workers

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UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini gives a speech in Ankara, Turkiye, on January 8, 2026. [Fatih Kurt – Anadolu Agency]

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on Sunday that the Gaza Strip has become the world’s most dangerous place for journalists and humanitarian workers, warning that continued restrictions and attacks are undermining efforts to document events and deliver aid.

In a press statement, Lazzarini said more than 230 journalists have been killed in Gaza, stressing the need to ensure freedom of access for the media and to protect journalists in line with international humanitarian law.

He argued that preventing international journalists from entering the Gaza Strip contributes to the spread of misinformation and extremist narratives, and weakens the ability of the international community to understand the scale of the humanitarian crisis on the ground.

Lazzarini also said that ongoing attacks on journalists and humanitarian personnel represent a serious violation of international law, calling for urgent measures to provide them with protection and to allow media organisations to operate freely and without restrictions.

Separately, Gaza’s government media office said last Wednesday that the number of journalists killed since the start of the Israeli war has risen to 260, following the killing of three journalists linked to an Egyptian committee.

READ: 3 journalists among 11 Gazans killed in Israeli attacks amid ceasefire violations

Experiencing issues with this image not appearing. I suspect because it's so critical of Zionist Keir Starmer's support of and complicity in Israel's genocides.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpA
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.

Continue ReadingUNRWA chief says Gaza is world’s most dangerous place for journalists and aid workers

UN calls for full reopening of Rafah crossing for Gazans

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Palestinians continue their daily lives with limited resources amid the massive destruction in the Tel al Hawa neighborhood in western Gaza, following Israeli army attacks. [Saeed M. M. T. Jaras – Anadolu Agency]

A UN spokesman on Wednesday urged the full reopening of the Rafah crossing for humanitarian aid and civilian movement, as conflicting reports emerged from Israel and Egypt about whether operations at the key entry point would soon resume, Anadolu reports.

Stephane Dujarric told reporters that the UN is aware of contradictory statements—Israel suggesting the crossing would reopen soon and Egypt denying any such coordination.

“Like you, we’ve seen contradicting reports,” Dujarric said.

“What we want to see is Rafah reopened fully for the movement of humanitarian cargo, for the movements of people, and both for humanitarian workers. If residents of Gaza, Palestinians, want to leave, they need to be able to do so voluntarily and freely without any pressure. And for those residents of Gaza who may have left the enclave a while ago, if they wish to return, they should be able to return,” he added.

Dujarric underscored that any reopening hinges on coordination between Israel and Egypt but insisted that humanitarian imperatives must take precedence.

“What we think we need to see is a reopening of Rafah for humanitarian cargo to be able to go in, for humanitarian workers to go in and out, and for Palestinians who wish to leave to be able to do so freely, safely, without any pressure to do so. And for those who have left and wish to come back, and therefore, they want to come back, they should be able to come back,” he added.

Dujarric said the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) continues to receive reports that air strikes, shelling, gunfire, and other Israeli military operations are causing more civilian casualties, displacement, and destruction in the Gaza Strip.

READ: 4 Israeli soldiers injured in clashes in southern Gaza, military says

He said things are “better than” they were before the announcement of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

“But, you know, we’re comparing a horrific situation to an extremely challenging one, to say the least,” he added.

The Rafah border crossing in southern Gaza was scheduled to reopen last October as part of the ceasefire agreement, but it remained closed due to Israel’s non-compliance with the deal.

Since May 2024, the Israeli army has blocked the movement of Palestinians through the crossing, the territory’s only window to the outside world that was not controlled by Tel Aviv before the start of the Israeli onslaught against Gaza in October 2023.

Turning to the Israeli killing of two Palestinian children on Saturday in a drone strike in southern Gaza, Dujarric said it was “horrific to say the least.”

“It’s hard to see how two boys — 8 and 10 — can be considered a threat, and there needs to be an investigation. And accountability for what happened,” he added.

The area targeted by the strike lies within the zones the Israeli army continues to hold under the ceasefire agreement, which took effect in October.

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Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel's Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don't do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.
UK Labour Party government ministers Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Rachel Reeves explain that they are partners complicit in Israel’s Gaza genocide. The UK has provided Israel with arms, military and air force support. They explain that they don’t do gas chambers but do do forced marches, starvation, destroy hospitals, mass-murders of journalists and healthcare workers.

Continue ReadingUN calls for full reopening of Rafah crossing for Gazans