Martin Frick, director of the World Food Programme (WFP) office in Berlin, told German media that the program could not be a substitute for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip.

“We cannot carry out the important tasks that UNRWA is doing in Gaza, such as managing emergency shelters, schools and health centres,” Frick said.
A few days ago, the Israeli parliament approved two controversial bills to restrict the agency’s operations in the Gaza Strip.

UNRWA is the backbone of humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip, ensuring “nutrition, protection and medical care for populations in inhumane conditions,” Frick said.
The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip is unimaginable and requires a comprehensive response in which UNRWA plays the central role, Frick said, stressing that “the UNRWA embargo will deprive those struggling to survive of their last resources.”