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EAST JERUSALEM
The Director of UNRWA Affairs in the West Bank, Mr. Adam Bouloukos, visited Jenin Refugee camp, north of the West Bank. The visit followed a large-scale military operation by the Israeli Security Forces last Wednesday that left four people killed and nearly 40 others injured among them Palestine refugees.
Patients and staff were at an UNRWA clinic when bullets hit it, causing damage. The clinic provides services to some 35,000 people. All UNRWA facilities in the camp including clinics and schools were evacuated for the day.
"I witnessed the extent of the damage caused by the recent Israeli military operation. I saw fear and concern in school children's eyes," said Mr. Bouloukos.
Mr. Bouloukos visited the clinic and an UNRWA school where he met with students and teachers. He then met with the camp's Popular Services Committee.
"The level of violence in Jenin camp and across the West Bank is the highest we have seen in years. Many Palestinians, including refugees, were killed or injured. Violence only brings loss of life, grief for families and instability. All parties to the conflict should protect civilians, including Palestine refugee. UN staff and facilities and civilian infrastructure must be kept out of harm's way. I specifically call on the Israeli Security Forces to limit the use of excessive force and spare loss of civilian life in Jenin and across the West Bank".
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Notes
- The Jenin Camp in the north of the West Bank continues to witness an increase in Israeli military operations causing loss of life, injuries and damage to basic infrastructure.
- The camp, established in 1953, is home to more than 23,000 Palestine refugees.
- UNRWA provides basic services in the camp including primary health care, education, social relief and protection services.
- The Jenin Refugee camp has eight UNRWA facilities including four schools and a primary health-care centre that provides services to nearly 35,000 refugees in the camp and surrounding areas. These facilities are operated by 120 UNRWA staff members.
- The West Bank is currently recording the highest levels of violence against civilians since 2016.
- In the 19 Palestine refugee camps across the West Bank, the number of injuries is also at the highest levels since 2016.
- The West Bank field atlas has more information on all 19 camps including Jenin.
UNRWA is a United Nations agency established by the General Assembly in 1949 with a mandate to provide humanitarian assistance and protection to registered Palestine refugees in the Agency's area of operations, namely the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Gaza, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, pending a just and lasting solution to their plight. Thousands of Palestine refugees who lost both their homes and livelihood because of the 1948 conflict have remained displaced and in need of significant support for over seventy years. UNRWA helps them achieve their full potential in human development through quality services it provides in education, health care, relief and social services, protection, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance. UNRWA is funded almost entirely by voluntary contributions.
