UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini’s warning about Gaza being a battleground for disinformation comes amid mounting evidence of a coordinated campaign to obscure the scale of suffering in the devasted, starved and besieged coastal enclave.
His remarks follow the release of a damning report by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry, which concluded that Israel has committed acts of genocide against Palestinians—a finding that has been met with denial and dismissal by Israeli officials and their allies.
Lazzarini pointed to the systematic targeting of UNRWA, followed by other UN agencies, media outlets, and health institutions, as part of an effort to delegitimize credible sources and distort public perception.
“Disinformation continues to be used as a tool to distract from the atrocities,” he said, warning that the denial of famine and the rejection of expert assessments are part of a broader strategy to dehumanize Palestinians.
#Gaza has been the battleground of a fierce & rampant information war.
Dis-information continues to be used as a tool to distract from the atrocities in the war-torn enclave.
The first target was @UNRWA followed by other UN agencies, the media & health institutions.
The…
— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) September 18, 2025
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has echoed these concerns, reporting that Gaza City’s last remaining lifelines are collapsing.
In just five days, 11 UNRWA shelters housing over 11,000 displaced civilians were damaged by direct or indirect strikes. More than one million people have been displaced since the ceasefire collapsed in March, with 200,000 forced to flee in the past month alone.
|Day 713: Escalating Bombing, Deaths, and Total Isolation in Gaza|
Despite severe restrictions, humanitarian teams have managed to deliver over 12,500 metric tons of wheat flour and serve nearly 560,000 meals daily.
UNICEF has dispatched over 200,000 packs of nutrient-rich baby food and 10,000 boxes of high-energy biscuits to support malnourished children and mothers.
Yet OCHA warns that these efforts fall far short of the overwhelming needs, stating that “opportunities to support starving people are being systematically blocked”.
Lazzarini emphasized the critical role of Palestinian journalists, whose reporting continues despite the dangers posed by expanding Israeli military operations. He called for immediate access for international journalists to enter Gaza and support their local counterparts before their voices are silenced as well.
Sources:
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini on X
https://x.com/UNLazzarini
UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry
https://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/co-israel-opt
UN OCHA Gaza Situation Reports
https://www.unocha.org/gaza
UNICEF Gaza Emergency Response
https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/gaza-crisis
UNRWA Emergency Updates
https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/emergency-reports
