ALBAWABA - UNRWA is seeking US$ 15.5 million for its multi-sectoral emergency response, following the armed clashes that took place in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestine Refugee camp in southern Lebanon between 29 July and 3 August.
"At the launch of this appeal, all eight schools remain occupied by militants, even after UNRWA reiterated its urgent call to all armed groups to immediately vacate its premises," UNRWA statement reads.
Dorothee Klaus, Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon said: "None of the eight UNRWA schools will be available for the children at the beginning of the new academic year. Damages have been significant and the conflict in the camp is unresolved. With fighters continuing to occupy UNRWA schools, they remain too insecure and off limits for school children,".
As of August 8, the Agency resumed its services in the camp's accessible areas. It runs a health clinic, collects solid waste, provides fuel for water pumping stations, and assists refugees through its relief office. In order to increase capacity, a temporary clinic has been built in a nearby UNRWA school.
As part of the 2023 Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan Emergency Appeal, UNRWA is requesting US$ 160 million for Lebanon.
The appeal, moreover, includes further stabilization measures, repair and relief interventions, such as the provision of cash assistance for conflict-affected Palestine Refugees in the area, one-off emergency cash support to families who lost their homes in the conflict, repair, and maintenance of critical public infrastructure, including water supply and electricity networks, UNRWA's official website stated.
Provisions are also made for rubble removal and awareness-raising among residents of the camp and adjacent areas about the harm posed by unexploded ordnances and other remnants of war.
Clashes in UNRWA's Ain al-Hilweh
Ain al-Hilweh camp, located near the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, witnessed intense clashes between Palestinian factions later in July. The fighting involved the use of various weapons, including mortar shells, RBG, and AK47s, leading to tens of Palestinians being killed and wounded.
In the subsequent events, Islamist militants shot and killed a Palestinian military general from the Fatah group along with three escorts while they were walking through a car park, as reported by another Palestinian official.
The Ain al-Hilweh camp, which houses over 50,000 Palestinian refugees, has a history of lawlessness and violence, making such clashes not uncommon. Established in 1948 to accommodate Palestinians displaced by the Israeli occupation forces during the establishment of Israel, the camp has been a volatile area.
