NEW YORK, January 8, 2026 (WAFA) — UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that three months after the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, conditions have not improved enough to meet the population’s needs, stressing that humanitarian assistance remains below required levels.

In a press statement issued Thursday on the latest developments in Gaza, Lazzarini said, “Three months into the ceasefire, assistance is still insufficient to meet people’s needs.”

He noted that while food aid has arrived, non-food assistance remains extremely limited. “People are still living among the rubble, in unsafe shelters. There are tents that leak water and provide no protection. People are deprived of almost everything,” he said.

Lazzarini emphasized that cold weather has added to the suffering of a population exhausted by a devastating two-year war marked by destruction, killings, and forced displacement, reiterating that current aid does not meet basic needs.

Despite the challenges, he said education remains a top priority, noting that more than 60,000 children have so far returned to in-person schooling, while over 280,000 children are receiving remote education. “However, this is still far from what is needed,” he added.

Lazzarini also addressed UNRWA’s financial crisis, pointing out that the United States has frozen its funding to the agency since February 2024 following allegations involving some of its staff.

He further noted that some UNRWA activities in occupied East Jerusalem have completely ceased due to Israeli laws and Israel’s designation of East Jerusalem as part of its territory.

M.N