News - Middle East: The Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Philippe Lazzarini, warned that the collapse of the agency would deprive an entire generation of Palestinian children of education.

In a press statement, Lazzarini said that there is a "real risk of the agency collapsing and imploding" if its severe financial crisis persists.

He added that if UNRWA collapses, "we will certainly sacrifice a generation of children who will be deprived of a proper education."

Lazzarini described UNRWA as a "lifeline" for approximately six million Palestinian refugees spread across the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

Earlier, the Israeli government announced decision to terminate UNRWA's activities in Palestine came into effect on Thursday.

International staff of the agency have left East Quds as their Israeli permits expired, and local staff did not report to their agency offices.

Since October 7, the Israeli army has waged a devastating war on Gaza, resulting in tens of thousands of martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, prompting calls for Tel Aviv to be tried before the ICJ on charges of "genocide."