24
hour reports by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)
Due to
the dramatic escalation in violence over the past few days and the
massive assault on Gaza, UNRWA has declared an emergency in all five
areas of the Gaza Strip. It is closely monitoring the situation and
stands ready to mount an emergency response should that become
necessary. The priority for the Agency has now shifted to emergency
operations, providing assistance to those who have been displaced and
sought shelter in UNRWA schools, while attempting to continue regular
operations. Urgent funding needs persist and are increasing
Key
parts:
“Despite
the temporary ceasefire holding, only few families left the UNRWA
shelters. As of yesterday 12 August 16:30, 207,221 IDPs were
sheltered in 87 UNRWA schools. The IDP numbers remain fluid. Some
families return if they find their house uninhabitable or feel
otherwise unsafe. Almost half of the displaced in UNRWA shelters are
children below the age of 18.”
“There
were large crowds in front of all distribution centers. As of today,
UNRWA will better inform the waiting families of the ongoing
distribution through loudspeakers and posters.”
“Since
the last update, the Protection Cluster
recorded 3 additional fatalities, 2 of which were recovered from
Khuza’a. According to UN information, the cumulative death toll
among Palestinians stands at 1965. 1417 are believed to be civilians,
including 459 children and 238 women.”
“Hussam
Salem Al-Najjar is one of Khuza’a’s residents. He is married with
six children, the eldest being twelve. Standing with his family in
the midst of what is left of his home, he describes the days of
shelling in Khuza’a. 'For hours the bombing would not cease. My
family and I gathered with 120 other members of our clan in the house
next to us. We were terrified. The children were crying and trembling
in fear. None of us believed we will survive', he says. Hussam feared
the house would collapse and bury all. Wearing only the clothes on
their backs, and carrying makeshift white flags, the family ran
through tiny alleys covered with rubble towards the home of Hussam’s
father close to Khuza’a, which at the time already sheltered some
160 displaced. Hussam says that some of his relatives were killed on
the way to their next refuge, but he and his family were lucky enough
to survive. Three days later, when hostilities escalated in the
neighborhood, all escaped again in different directions, seeking
refuge with families and in UNRWA schools.”
“After
being trapped for four days in a home, Rawhia and Mona, also from the
Al-Najjar family, finally arrived in an UNRWA shelter. The UNRWA
schools, they say, are the only safe places in Gaza. With the
fence surrounding Gaza effectively sealed, civilians do not have the
option to flee as is usually possible in other humanitarian crises.
Also not the residents from Khuza’a, who lived just a couple of
hundreds of meters away from Israel.”
“UNRWA’s
regular food distribution to a total caseload of over 830,000
beneficiaries continued. Food rations were provided to 3,189
families through all 12 UNRWA distribution centers.”
“Under
the UNRWA/WFP exceptional food distribution to 143,000 families
not currently receiving regular food aid from the two agencies,
10,997 rations were distributed through 12 UNRWA distribution
centers.”
“Data
on damage to UNRWA installations is based on preliminary information
and subject to change based on further verification. UNRWA
estimates that 103 installations have been damaged since 8 July
2014.”
Full
Report:
Comments
Post a Comment