Israel denies accusations that it barred the head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency from entering Gaza today, after Egypt accused Jerusalem of making an “unprecedented” decision to prevent his entry.
“I intended to go to Rafah today, but I have been informed an hour ago that my entry into Rafah is declined,” says United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees chief Philippe Lazzarini during a press conference in Cairo with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
Shoukry asserts that Lazzarini was denied entry by Israel.
“You were declined by the Israeli government, refused entry which is an unprecedented move for a representative at this high position,” he states.
However, a spokesperson for Israel’s Foreign Ministry tells The Times of Israel that Israel did not block Lazzarini.
The UN relief chief also describes hunger in the Gaza Strip as “man-made.”
“We are engaged in a race against the clock to try to reverse the impact of the spreading hunger and the looming famine in the Gaza Strip,” he adds.
