China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, on Tuesday emphasized the critical role of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in delivering humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, calling for immediate action to ensure the U.N. agency's continued operation in the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave.
Fu made the statement at a U.N. Security Council meeting held to discuss the impending Israeli laws which will ban UNRWA from operating in Israel and the Palestinian territories starting from Thursday.
Representatives from China and many other countries reiterated their support for continued operation of UNRWA.
"The current ceasefire in Gaza provides an opportunity to alleviate the humanitarian disaster there. The ceasefire agreement, which took effect on January 19, also includes a commitment to expand humanitarian aid. UNRWA is responsible for more than half of the aid work in Gaza, and its role is indispensable and irreplaceable. Suppressing UNRWA is contradictory to the commitment of expanding humanitarian aid," said Fu.
Fu further noted that United Nations and the U.N. Security Council bear a responsibility to take necessary and immediate action to ensure that UNRWA can fulfill its duties and prevent new collective punishment from being imposed on the people in Gaza.
China is willing to work with all parties to make unremitting efforts to alleviate the humanitarian disaster, restore peace between the Israelis and Palestinians, and achieve long-term stability in the region, Fu said.
Highlighting that UNRWA is the largest U.N. agency operating in the Gaza Strip, Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of UNRWA, said the agency has played a crucial role in supporting local communities.
Lazzarini reiterated that the services provided by UNRWA are unique and irreplaceable, calling on countries to take decisive action to uphold the basic rights of Palestinian refugees, ensure the agency's operation, and contribute to the realization of peace and stability.
Chinese envoy urges immediate action to ensure continued operation of UNRWA in Gaza
Chinese envoy urges immediate action to ensure continued operation of UNRWA in Gaza
Chinese envoy urges immediate action to ensure continued operation of UNRWA in Gaza
