Following the heavy escalation of violence in Gaza starting on 7 October, UNRWA is urgently seeking US$ 104 million to enable its multi-sectoral humanitarian response over the coming 90 days. The requested funds will cover the urgent immediate food, non-food, health, shelter and protection needs of up to 250,000 persons seeking safety in UNRWA shelters across the ravaged Gaza Strip and another 250,000 Palestine refugees within the community. Consideration will be given to the needs of vulnerable groups, including women, children, persons with disabilities and the elderly.
“What is unfolding is already an unprecedented humanitarian tragedy. Whatever the circumstances are, rules apply in times of conflict and this one is no exception. Aid to civilians who have nowhere to flee must be immediate: water, food, medicine,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. “It is of utmost urgency that access to humanitarian assistance and protection be upheld for all civilians,” he added.
UNRWA still faces a debilitating financial crisis, with current funding only sufficient to continue its regular services throughout the region until the end of October. These include education, health care and social protection. This Flash Appeal can only be implemented if UNRWA also receives the necessary funding for its core Programme Budget, foundational for the Agency’s services in the Gaza Strip and other fields.
“To keep our life-saving work in Gaza and throughout the region ongoing and to remain a lifeline for millions of Palestine Refugees across the region, I appeal to UNRWA’s donors and partners to scale up their financial support,” said Commissioner-General Lazzarini.
UNRWA supports calls to reach an immediate ceasefire and a halt to the violence everywhere.
As of 4 p.m. on 10 October, nearly 175,000 internally displaced people are sheltering in 88 UNRWA schools across the Gaza Strip. The numbers continue to increase as airstrikes continue from the Israeli Air Forces. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 900 people were killed, including 290 children. Another 4,250 were injured since 7 October; according to Israeli sources, as of 10 October at 4 p.m., 1,000 were killed in Israel.
Across the Gaza Strip, UNRWA provides services to 1.4 million Palestine Refugees, including food aid to nearly 1.2 million;
Stocks of basic supplies that UNRWA currently has can last for only another 12 days, accommodating 150,000 people only.
