LOC17:37
14:37 GMT
CAIRO, March 18 (KUNA) -- The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, warned on Monday of an unprecedented famine in the occupied Palestinian territories as a result of the Israeli siege imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Lazzarini said in a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, "Famine has been looming on the horizon in the Gaza Strip over the past two months," stressing that "the region has never experienced a similar famine before."
He also pointed out that the airdrop of food supplies is "an additional, complementary operation that does not express the full response," stressing that "the real response is to open the crossing and for humanitarian aid and trucks to flow."
Lazzarini added that the International Court of Justice issued an order at the end of last January to increase humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, aid decreased by about 50 percent and then increased in March.
In turn, Minister Shoukry reaffirmed his country's full support for the (UNRWA) to continue its indispensable role and work in providing aid to the Gaza Strip and the Palestinians. (end)
mm.aa