Underlying the importance of a collective responsibility to support all those impacted by seismic events in Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and beyond – stemming from the war between Israel and Hamas – the head of the UN Office for Project Services, has told UN News this is a “defining moment for the Middle East”.

Calling on all UN agencies to scale up and the international community to mobilize, Jorge Moreira da Silva added that it is fundamental to “bring all humanitarian aid that is needed”.

As Executive Director of the UN agency which literally builds better lives for millions around the world, Mr. Moreira da Silva is on a week-long evaluation mission in the Middle East, including visits to Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem.

He spoke to UN News’s Abdelmonem Makki from Syria and started by telling him about his team’s crucial role.