LONDON

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) head Philippe Lazzarini on Monday described the situation in Gaza as a "free fall descent into barbarism," underscoring the desperate need for diplomacy and an end to the violence.

On X, he said the Gaza Strip, home to two million people, has been transformed into "an unrecognizable sea of rubble after twelve months of relentless airstrikes and warfare."

Lazzarini revealed that more than 220 UNRWA team members had been killed during the conflict—the highest death toll in the UN’s history—highlighting the dire conditions for civilians and humanitarian workers alike.

The impact on children has been especially severe.

Over 650,000 children are missing yet another year of education, forced to cope with trauma, hunger, and the loss of loved ones.

Schools and essential infrastructure have been destroyed, with more than two-thirds of UNRWA buildings hit in the violence, leaving many sheltering families without protection.

"Instead of being in classrooms, they are sifting through the rubble in despair and fear," said Lazzarini. “Every child in Gaza is traumatized, many with life-long invisible scars.”

Lazzarini also issued a call for a cease-fire, emphasizing that there are "no winners in wars" and that the only way to stop the continued suffering is through a diplomatic and peaceful solution.

He called for a deal that would ensure the safe release of hostages, the delivery of essential humanitarian aid to Gaza, and a cease-fire to bring respite to the people of Gaza, Lebanon, Israel, and the wider region.

"It is time to put the guns down after decades of killing and immense pain," said Lazzarini, adding that the destruction and human cost are growing more unbearable by the day.

Israel has continued its relentless offensive on the Gaza Strip following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

Since then, nearly 42,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed, with over 97,100 others injured, according to local health authorities.

The ongoing Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip, exacerbating shortages of food, clean water, and medicine due to a long-standing blockade.

Israel is currently facing genocide charges at the International Court of Justice over its actions in Gaza.