Palestinian refugees continue to be severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, warned the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

“As I stand before this Council today, four of the five fields where UNRWA operates are in severe crisis, and the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to sweep through the Palestine refugee communities”, said UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, Philippe Lazzarini, addressing the 155th Session of the League of Arab States Council.

“In this context, UNRWA provides critical and lifesaving services to some of the most marginalized and underprivileged populations in the region”, stated Lazzarini.

“It really pains me, as UNRWA Commissioner-General, to have to present great achievements by the Agency and at the same time to plead for the resources to continue achieving”, he added.

The Agency’s chief also said that ‘’one would think that, in the absence of a political solution that can put an end to the plight of Palestinian refugees, there would be no need to constantly run after funding”.

“One would think that maintaining and supporting such a steady source of stability in the region would always be the strategic and humane thing to do”, proceeded Lazzarini. “In reality, UNRWA struggles every year to keep its programmes running and delivering much needed assistance”.