During his visit to Gaza today, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Finland Dr. Erkki Tuomioja announced an additional EUR 1.5 million to the General Fund of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This funding will support UNRWA’s regular programme to Palestine refugees living in the occupied Palestinian territory, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon.

UNRWA health programme hard hit in Syria but the UN agency's work is having an impact

Today, during the World Health Organization’s sixty sixth’s Annual World Health Summit, UNRWA released its Health Department 2012 Annual Report. The publication reflects on the operational challenges, the Agency has faced with rolling out an ongoing health reform and managing regular services during times of conflict.

At one elementary school in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, teacher Fakhrieh Al Zaabouti was saddened when a 7-year-old child arrived to school in tears. “His left shoe was torn apart and he was so upset.” But, his tears soon turned to joy when he received his new pair of TOMS Shoes.

This is ANERA’s first delivery of TOMS Shoes in Lebanon.

Syria:

Security incidents and shellings are hampering UNRWA’s ability to respond to the needs of Palestinian refugees inside Syria.

05/19/2013 16:27 GMT

BEIRUT, May 19, 2013 (AFP) - At least two people were killed and six others wounded in running gun battles in the flashpoint northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, a security source told AFP on Sunday.

The source identified the dead as 22-year-old Mohammed Yussef, from the Alawite Jabal Mohsen area, and a 13-year-old boy from the neighbouring Sunni area of Bab el-Tebbaneh.

One person was wounded in Jabal Mohsen and five others were wounded in Bab el-Tebbaneh, the source said.

By Apostolis Fotiadis

Apostolis Fotiadis interviews Panos Moumtzis, UNHCR regional coordinator for Syrian refugees.

ATHENS, May 18 2013 (IPS) - With no end in sight for the ongoing two-year war in Syria, the ensuing humanitarian crisis continues to escalate, with over 1 million refugees having fled to neighbouring countries and at least another 3 million displaced within Syria.