A Palestinian man protests against the reduction of the food basket provided by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).  (Photo: AFP)

Gaza City, March 19 (RHC)-- Palestinian refugees in the blockaded Gaza Strip have demonstrated in front UNRWA aid office against cuts to vital services and assistance by the United Nations agency.

Palestinian Popular Refugee Committee organized a rally in front of the UN Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA)'s office in Gaza calling on the agency to stop reduction of the food coupon distributed among Palestinian refugees in the besieged Gaza Strip.

A number of Palestinian factions and human rights activists attended the rally demanding the UN to remain committed to its responsibilities to provide Palestinians with their basic rights to food and life.

Palestinians believe that the UNRWA’s decisions to reduce the food aid and services are part of a plan to violate the refugees’ right of return and a violation of the 194 resolution. The crisis deepened after former US president Donald Trump decided to cancel funding to UNRWA in 2018. Palestinians' conditions are worsening following these reduction policies as most of them don’t have any source of income.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights said in a statement that UNRWA is depriving about 770,000 Palestinian refugees of their right to the food coupons, a move that could have disastrous consequences especially amid the coronavirus Pandemic.

Over 1.3 million Palestinian refugees live in the Gaza Strip and their hardships have increased under the Zionist regime’s blockade.

Depriving Palestinian refugees of their basic rights is a move that, as observers say, will lead to disastrous consequences. Most of the Palestinian refugees are unable to afford their basic needs.