The outgoing Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, has publicly demanded an investigation into the killing of nearly 400 of the agency's personnel during the conflict in Gaza.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva on Tuesday, the 62-year-old Swiss national condemned what he described as an "extraordinary level of impunity" surrounding these deaths. Lazzarini argued that Israel appears to possess a "licence to kill" within the besieged Palestinian territory.

Call for High-Level Investigation

Scope of Casualties

Lazzarini confirmed that since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, "more than 390" UNRWA staff members have been killed. He added that numerous other employees have suffered life-changing injuries or faced arbitrary detention and torture.

The UNRWA chief stated his belief that a "high-level panel of experts" must be established to thoroughly examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths of their personnel. He also noted that the killing of other United Nations staff requires a similar inquiry.

Diplomatic and Legal Consequences

Lazzarini confirmed he has raised the necessity of this investigation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' office and with various UN member states. He expressed deep concern that Israel’s conduct throughout the war suggests that "all possible red lines have been crossed."

He lamented the lack of repercussions for these actions, stating, "there have never ever been any consequences, whether diplomatic, political, economic, legal, nothing."

Impunity and Spreading Conflict

Labeling of Victims

The Commissioner-General pointed out that the deaths of UNRWA staff, along with aid workers, health professionals, and journalists, are frequently rationalized by labeling the victims as affiliated with Hamas. This sense of impunity, he warned, is now expanding.

Lazzarini noted that individuals killed in recent Israeli attacks on neighboring Lebanon are now reportedly being "labelled as being Hezbollah." He suggested the world's "abject failure" to respond sets the stage for conflict that operates outside international law, spreading across the Middle East.

Strained Relations with Israel

Accusations and Operational Hurdles

Relations between Israel and UNRWA, which supports nearly six million Palestinian refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, have deteriorated significantly since the war began. Israel has barred UNRWA from operating on its soil.

These restrictions stem from Israeli accusations that the agency provides cover for Hamas and claims that some UNRWA employees participated in the October 7 cross-border attack. While internal and external UN investigations found some "neutrality-related issues" at UNRWA, they concluded Israel had not provided conclusive proof for its main allegation.

Headquarters Demolition and Funding Crisis

Further escalating tensions, Israeli authorities began demolishing UNRWA's headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem earlier this year, a move Lazzarini deemed "extraordinarily outrageous." These attacks, combined with significant funding cuts, have pushed the agency toward a potential "collapse."

Lazzarini issued a stark warning, stating that if the international community fails to protect UNRWA, "the consequences will be catastrophic for a generation or more."