"Such actions are costly, ineffective, and potentially fatal," Lazzarini tweeted, calling for the crossings to be opened and for the passage of stranded trucks.
Lazzarini's remarks came after reports that Israel might allow airdrops of aid to Gaza for two days starting Friday, but as of 13:05 GMT on Saturday, no actual airdrops had been recorded.
The UN High Commissioner described these plans as "a distraction and smokescreen," stressing that delivering aid by land is the easiest, most effective, and most humane option.
He continued, "Man-made hunger can only be addressed with genuine political will," calling for the lifting of the blockade, the opening of crossings, and ensuring the free flow of aid to those in need. He noted that UNRWA has approximately 6,000 aid trucks stuck in Jordan and Egypt, awaiting the green light to enter Gaza.
Previous airdrops of aid have resulted in civilian casualties in Gaza, with the cargo repeatedly falling in unsafe locations during the war that has been ongoing since last October.
In a related development, Munir al-Barash, Director-General of the Ministry of Health in Gaza, announced that nine Palestinians, including two children, died in just 24 hours due to hunger and malnutrition, bringing the number of famine victims since the start of the war on October 7, 2023, to 122, including 83 children.
In turn, the Government Media Office in Gaza warned on Saturday of the threat of mass death threatening more than 100,000 children under the age of two, as a result of the depletion of milk and nutritional supplements and the continued Israeli starvation policy.
UN and local organizations confirm that preventing aid from entering threatens an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, with the health system collapsing and the bare minimum requirements for survival lacking.
Israel has imposed a complete blockade on the Gaza Strip for 18 years, intensifying since October 7, 2023, in a war described as "genocide." The blockade has resulted in more than 204,000 deaths and injuries, more than 9,000 missing persons, and widespread destruction of infrastructure and the homes of 1.5 million of the 2.4 million people living in the Strip.
In its operation, Israel ignores international appeals and International Court of Justice decisions, deepening the tragedy of Palestinian civilians.
