UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini acknowledges that it has been “stressful” leading the embattled UN agency for Palestinian refugees, but says he is confident he is “on the right side of history”, AFP reports.

The 61-year-old head of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees has, along with his organisation, withstood a barrage of criticism and accusations from Israel since Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023 attack inside Israel and the devastating onslaught in Gaza that followed.

“Of course it is stressful. No one could really be prepared for something like this,” Lazzarini told AFP in a recent interview.

The softly-spoken Swiss father of four began his tenure in 2020 under Covid lockdown, as UNRWA was reeling after the United States — traditionally its largest donor — dramatically slashed its contribution during President Donald Trump’s first term.

But that was nothing compared to what was to come.

“October 7 basically … destroyed the last protection dikes that UNRWA might have had,” he said, lamenting the “arsenal” it unleashed “to try to discredit the agency, attack the agency, get rid of the agency”.