Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, discussed with the newly-appointed Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, the deteriorating situation in Palestinian refugee camps.

In a statement, the Arab League said Abu Gheit discussed with Lazzarini the financial hurdles faced by the Agency and stressed the need for donor countries to lend a hand to Palestinian refugees and help UNRWA keep up its vital services throughout its fields of operations.

Abul Gheit also said UNRWA’s mission is vital for Palestinian refugees in such poverty-stricken areas as the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip, where 80% of the enclave’s population rely on relief aid to cover their basic humanitarian needs.

He added that the situation in Gaza remains particularly alarming in light of the poor health services and unequipped hospitals in the coastal enclave. A coronovairus propagation in the area means that the situation will reach a tragic point of no return.
More than 50 years of occupation and 13 years of blockade have made the lives of 2 million Palestinians living inside the Gaza Strip unbearable.

According to data bu the Norgegian Refugee Council, Gaza is one of the world's most densely populated areas, with more than 5,000 inhabitants per square kilometre. The Gaza Strip is smaller than the city of Oslo but is home to three times as many people.