The ninth season of the UN podcast Awake at Night?launched on?10 May.
Join Melissa Fleming, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, as she speaks?with remarkable UN staff members who are saving lives in some of the world's most difficult places or negotiating at the highest levels to alleviate suffering.
The first episode of the new season features an interview with Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the .
Philippe Lazzarini holds one of the most challenging positions in the whole of the 51³Ô¹Ï. As head of the UNRWA, he oversees the delivery of lifesaving humanitarian aid to millions in Gaza.
In this episode, recorded on 22 April 2024, Philippe reflects on the trauma of the past months and the human cost of war.
¡°Ceasefire, ceasefire, ceasefire. If we have a ceasefire and the opening of the crossing, and we can flood assistance to the Gaza Strip, we would be able to prevent this catastrophe,¡± he says on the situation on the ground.
Following the devastating terror attacks by Hamas and others on 7 October, Israel¡¯s military operations in Gaza have brought unspeakable death and destruction.
2.2 million Palestinians are in the midst of an epic humanitarian catastrophe. The healthcare system is collapsing. Desperation and scarcity have led to a near-total breakdown in law and order.
¡°Seeing unfolding under our watch, our eyes, one of the fastest evolving looming famines, which has been completely fabricated, it's manmade, and which can easily be reversed through political will and political decision - it is deeply frustrating, but it's outrageous and makes me very angry,¡± Lazzarini says.
Listen to this episode by tuning in on your or visit the Awake at Night website.
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